The list below shows the experience and interests of some of our members who have added their details voluntarily. It is not a complete list and the absence of any particular instrument should not be taken as an indication that you would be on your own if you joined us!
Violin:
Knox Haggie grew up in Newcastle and has been a keen amateur violinist all his life. He was a member of the Cambridge Philharmonic for several years before moving to Senegal where he joined a Baroque chamber group. In Edinburgh he has played in various orchestras and chamber groups and also enjoys playing in a church worship band. His day job is R&D Manager for an educational software company.
Fiona Simpson was brought up in the English Lake District, and was a member of the Cumbria Youth Orchestra before moving to Edinburgh in 2005 for University. She is also a member of the Edinburgh Youth Choir, the youth branch of the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union.
Laura Fergusson grew up in Northern Ireland, where she was leader of the local youth orchestra in her teens. She has lived in Scotland since 1988 and has played in the Scottish Sinfonia and other groups, however has not played much since her son was born. She’s looking forward to getting back into music!
Nina Engelhardt is doing a PhD in Literature at the University of Edinburgh. She played the violin in an orchestra in Germany for several years but took a long break before joining the Edinburgh Orchestral Ensemble.
Lorna Williamson would love to be in a full time orchestra as her career after graduating, so loves being in the Edinburgh Ensemble. She thinks that playing as a group is a great experience, and not to be missed for any classical music enthusiast!
Viola:
Eilidh Clark is studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh. She learnt the viola at school, where she passed grade 8. She has also played in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.
Double Bass:
Paul Gough took up the double bass 30 years after a teenage career playing the tuba and bass guitar. As well as the Edinburgh Ensemble, he plays with the Stockbridge and Newtown Community Orchestra, Making Music Scotland's ORCAL orchestra and has attended Scrapers and Tooters weekends with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Doug Kemp - born and raised in Glasgow, Doug has been playing bass since his early teens and continues studying at Napier University doing his BA in Popular Music. After leaving his band the Black Velveteens he has since joined various musicians and is heavily involved with band work and ensemble performance.
Harp:
Jillian Mathews was born in Surrey where she developed an abiding passion for all music as she grew up. She studied music at University of Edinburgh. An enthusiastic harpist, she plays with Edinburgh University Composers Orchestra and teaches Community Music activities for Edinburgh Council and St Peter's church, Edinburgh.
Flute:
Jan Bradley took up the flute as an adult and has studied with Barbara Newland, Ruth Morley and Anne Evans. Orchestral experience includes Perth Symphony Orchestra and Queenswood Summer School Sinfonietta. She also plays with a string quartet and enjoys the occasional 'Tooters and Scrapers' and Making Music orchestral weekends.
Becky Smith grew up in Southampton, where she was principle flute in their youth wind band and orchestra. Passing Grade 8 with distinction in 2006 she went on to give recitals at her college as part of her A levels. Becky, who is in Edinburgh to study medicine, also plays the saxophone and piano, and has recently taken up the cello.
David Mitchell studied oboe in Edinburgh with Donald Andrew and Shaun Dillon before taking up the flute in later life. He has recently appeared with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and is a founder member of the Effin' Flutes.
Oboe / cor anglais:
Luci Holland is a student at the University of Edinburgh currently in her 4th and final year studying music. Her speciality is composition, but she plays in a wide variation of ensembles and orchestras, including the very extraordinary Edinburgh Composers' Orchestra. She hopes for a career in media composition but will always maintain her passion for oboe.
Clarinet:
Jan Clark teaches and plays clarinet and saxophone. As well as regular professional engagements, she plays in the ICC Saxophone Choir, is founder member of a bass clarinet quartet and can regularly be seen in various venues around Edinburgh playing in soul band Soulussion.
Angela Duncan is studying classical music at Napier university where she plays clarinet as her first study. She also plays in a wind quintet.
Louise Shields' first instrument is the Clarinet, however she has decided to take on the challenge of the Bassoon (and it is a challenge) for the Edinburgh Ensemble. Louise is a teacher of music at Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh.
Brass:
Emma Brown has played trumpet in numerous orchestras, windbands and recitals, but since coming to Edinburgh to study an MA in Divinity and History she has devoted most of her time to playing in a seven part politically radical fusion band: New Urban Frontier. Her passions in life are punk, thrash metal and baroque chamber music.
Rebecca Turk is from California, USA and is currently studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh for Neuroscience and behavior. She played trombone in the Rat Pack and Blues Brothers shows in the Fringe festival and will be very sad when she has to leave this wonderful city to go back home in December.