Royal Ballet Sinfonia

The Company

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Britain's busiest ballet orchestra, playing for Birmingham Royal Ballet's wide-ranging programme in the UK and abroad.

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and many of the world's other leading ballet companies, including regular performances Paris Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and La Scala Ballet.

Concert performances at the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, Birmingham's Symphony Hall and other major British venues also form a regular part of the Sinfonia's work. The Sinfonia's opera performances include The Royal Opera's acclaimed production of Turandot at Wembley Arena.

Conductors

Paul Murphy	Principal Conductor	PaulMurphy@brb.org.uk	0121 245 3539	View Profile
Philip Ellis	Conductor	PhilipEllis@brb.org.uk	0121 245 3539	View Profile

Musicians

Robert Gibbs	First Violin (Leader)	View Profile
Richard Friedman	First Violin (Co-leader)	View Profile
Vanessa David	First Violin
Amanda Brown	First Violin
Peter Jenkins	First Violin
Deborah Schlenther	First Violin
Philip Aird	First Violin
Caroline Ferriman	First Violin
Gwilym Hooson	Second Violin	View Profile
Rebecca Jones	Second Violin
Mary Martin	Second Violin
Fiona Robertson	Second Violin
Helen Bartlett	Second Violin
Robert Simmons	Second Violin
Carmen Flores	Viola	View Profile
Errika Horsley	Viola
Chris Pitsillides	Viola
Gruffydd Owen	Viola
James Potter	Cello
Antonio Novais	Cello
Jane Rainey	Cello
Vera Pereira	Bass
Alan Taylor	Bass
Joanna Shaw	Flute
Sandra Skipper	Flute
Alaster Bentley	Oboe	View Profile
Maxwell Spiers	Cor Anglais
Ian Scott	Clarinet	View Profile
David McKee	Bassoon	View Profile
Llinos Owen	Bassoon
Andrew Littlemore	Horn
Neil Mitchell	Horn
Chris Pointon	Horn
Phillip Walker	Horn
Michael Allen	Trumpet	View Profile
Christopher Deacon	Trumpet
Amos Miller	Trombone	View Profile
Maxwell Isley	Trombone
David Gordon	Bass Trombone
David Gordon Shute	Tuba	View Profile
Grahame King	Timpani	View Profile
Kevin Earley	Percussion	View Profile
Paul Parker	Percussion

Orchestra Management

John Beadle	Orchestra Director	JohnBeadle@brb.org.uk	0121 245 3548
Andrew Bentley	Orchestra Manager	AndrewBentley@brb.org.uk	0121 245 3503
Charles Strickland	Librarian

Music Staff

Jonathan Higgins	Principal Pianist	0121 245 3543	View Profile
Matthew Drury	Company Pianist	0121 245 3543	View Profile
Ross Williams	Company Pianist	0121 245 3543	View Profile

The Sinfonia's recordings include video soundtracks to Birmingham Royal Ballet's Nutcracker, Coppélia and Hobson's Choice and CDs of English string music, the Sullivan overtures, the film scores of Richard Addinsell, Far from the Madding Crowd and The Ealing Comedies, which won the 1998 Gramophone Award for best film music.

The complete score of John McCabe's Edward II was released on CD by Hyperion in 2000, a special double CD, Tribute to Madam (ASV), a recording of the scores of four ballets by Ninette de Valois, was recorded and released in 2001, Tribute to Sir Fred (Sanctuary Classics), a recording of the scores of four ballets by Frederick Ashton to celebrate his centenary, was released in 2004, with a second volume in 2005.

The orchestra's recording of Carl Davis's score for Cyrano was released on the composer's own label in 2009.

The orchestra is available for hire – whether for ballet, opera or concert engagements (including Last Night of the Proms type concerts, as presented for the last two years to close the Exeter Festival).

To discuss hiring the Sinfonia, please contact John Beadle, Orchestra Director.

Interview20 June 2015

Meet the Sinfonia – Bassoon

Meet Llinos Owen, in her first year with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

Interview4 December 2014

Meet the Sinfonia – Cor Anglais

Feature17 October 2016

Musical asides

In the lead up to premiere of The Tempest, Nicola Lisle spoke to composer Sally Beamish about some of the more unexpected things she experienced as a result of writing the score.

#BRBTempest