“A completely assured and convincing performance”
– Lennox Berkeley Society

The Berkeley Ensemble takes its name from two British composers of the last hundred years, father and son Sir Lennox and Michael Berkeley. It aims to champion British music and unfairly neglected works alongside the standard chamber music repertory.

Formed in 2008 by members of Britain’s young professional orchestra Southbank Sinfonia, the ensemble now enjoys a busy concert schedule, performing in the UK and abroad, recently touring China for the first time. Its members are also in demand as orchestral players, having appeared with the English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, among others.

Finalists in the 2009 Royal Over-Seas League competition and selected by Making Music for the Concert Promoters’ Network, the ensemble has also been highly active in education, its work in this area including collaborations with Southbank Sinfonia and Samling.  Forthcoming projects in 2011 include a debut recording of English chamber music, the première of a new work by Michael Berkeley and concerts celebrating anniversaries of Frank Bridge and Sir Malcolm Arnold.

Members

• Kate Riley, Sophie Mather – violins
• Dan Shilladay – viola
• Gemma Wareham – cello
• John Slack – clarinet
• Andrew Watson – bassoon
• Paul Cott – horn

Our repertoire ranges from duos to works for sinfonietta-sized ensembles, and we regularly work with guest artists to expand our programming possibilities.