About the Orchestra

Joining the orchestra

Positions within the orchestra are extremely competitive and are subject to auditions and a trial period.

Orchestral vacancies are advertised on Musical Chairs. Successful applicants will be asked to attend an audition.

Management vacancies are advertised on the BBC jobs website .

For further information about auditions and trials please email now@bbc.co.uk.

• First Violins

  • Leader: Lesley Hatfield
  • Associate Leader: Nick Whiting
  • Carl Darby#
  • Gwenllian Haf Richards
  • Terry Porteus
  • Suzanne Casey
  • Richard Newington
  • Paul Mann
  • Gary George-Veale
  • Robert Bird
  • Carmel Barber/Sybil Olive
  • Kerry Gordon-Smith
  • Emilie Godden
  • Anna Cleworth

• Second Violins

  • Naomi Thomas*
  • Jane Sinclair#
  • Ros Butler/Katie Littlemore
  • Sheila Smith
  • Vickie Ringguth
  • Joseph Williams
  • Michael Topping
  • Margot Leadbeater
  • Katherine Miller
  • Beverley Wescott
  • Debbie Frost
  • Nicolas White
  • Sellena Leony

• Violas

  • Göran Fröst*
  • Alex Thorndike#
  • Vacancy
  • Peter Taylor
  • David McKelvay
  • Sarah Chapman
  • James Drummond
  • Ania Leadbeater
  • Robert Gibbons
  • Catherine Palmer
  • Laura Sinnerton

• Cellos

  • John Senter*
  • Keith Hewitt#
  • Jessica Feaver/Hetty Snell
  • Sandy Bartai
  • Margaret Downie
  • Carolyn Hewitt
  • Kathryn Harris
  • Appointment in progress

• Double Basses

  • David Stark*
  • Vacancy
  • Christopher Wescott
  • William Graham-White
  • Richard Gibbons
  • Tim Older
  • Claire Whitson

• Flutes

  • Matthew Featherstone*
  • Eilidh Gillespie

• Piccolo

  • Eva Stewart+

• Oboes

  • David Cowley*
  • Amy McKean

• Cor Anglais

  • Sarah-Jayne Porsmoguer+

• Clarinets

  • Robert Plane*
  • John Cooper

• Bass Clarinet

  • Lenny Sayers+

• Bassoons

  • Jaroslaw Augustyniak*
  • Martin Bowen

• Contrabassoon

  • David Buckland+

• Horns

  • Tim Thorpe*
  • Irene Williamson
  • Ian Fisher+
  • William Haskins
  • Neil Shewan

• Trumpets

  • Philippe Schartz*
  • Robert Samuel
  • Matthew Williams

• Trombones

  • Donal Bannister*
  • Appointment in progress

• Bass Trombone

  • Darren Smith+

• Tuba

  • Daniel Trodden+

• Timpani

  • Steve Barnard*

• Percussion

  • Chris Stock*
  • Mark Walker+

• Harp

  • Valerie Aldrich-Smith+
• • Section principal*
  • Principal+
  • Assistant principal#
  • Guest principal‡

• Management Team

  David Jackson	Director
  Bethan Everton	Assistant to Director and Orchestra Manager
  Byron Jenkins	Orchestra Manager
  Andy Farquharson	Assistant Orchestra Manager
  Lucy Eliot-Higgitt	Orchestral Co-ordinator
  Christopher Painter	Music Librarian
  Andrew Smith	Stage Manager
  Mark Terrell	Transport Manager
  Tim Thorne	Senior Producer
  Victoria Massocchi	Artists and Concerts Administrator
  Callum Thomson	Broadcast Assistant
  Sarah Horner	Marketing Manager
  Jodi Bennett	Assistant Marketing Manager
  Vacancy	Marketing and Publicity Assistant
  David Hopkins	Communications Officer
  Nerys Lloyd-Evans	Audience Line Operator
  Margarita Felices	Audience Line Operator
  Phillippa Scammell	Audience Line Operator
  Suzanne Hay	Education and Community Manager
  Andy Everton	Education and Community Assistant
  Osian Rowlands	Chorus Manager
  Huw Thomas	Senior Audio Supervisor