Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra

Adam Heron (Pianist)

Born in Hong Kong in 1999, Adam Heron has established himself as one of today’s leading young pianists. He performed at the Keyboard Category Final of BBC Young Musician 2018, which was broadcast on BBC Four Television, and in 2017 he was unanimously made the recipient of the Irish Heritage Music Award following a lauded performance at London’s Wigmore Hall.

At the age of seven he joined Gloucester Cathedral Choir , under the directorship of Adrian Partington. Following this he won a scholarship, courtesy of the UK Government’s Music and Dance Scheme, to study at Wells Cathedral School with Hilary Coates. Whilst a student at Wells he achieved notable success, including winning first prize at the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe’s prestigious Junior Intercollegiate Beethoven Competition. In addition to this, he holds the titles of both Gloucestershire Young Musician 2016 and Taunton Young Musician 2016, and is a laureate of the Young Pianist of the North International Piano Competition in Newcastle.

Adam frequently performs in recital, both in the UK and abroad. Recent overseas engagements include a concert at the residence of the British Ambassador in Kiev, Ukraine, and also a tour of his native Hong Kong with the acclaimed British cellist Jamie Walton. Closer to home, Adam has performed at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Bath Pump Rooms. He often appears at the Cheltenham Music Festival, and in 2017 he was invited to return there to perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto K. 271 with the Chineke! Orchestra, directed by the American conductor Jonathon Heyward. Adam is active as a composer too, and has heard his work played in public on numerous occasions.

He has received masterclasses from several eminent figures, including Stephen Hough, John Lill, and Imogen Cooper, and he was recently offered a recording contract with the Spanish record label, KNS Classical . Currently, he studies with Professor Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy in London, where he holds a full-fees scholarship. Adam is very grateful to be supported generously by the Hattori Foundation.

Follow Adam Heron on social media:
On Facebook @adamheronpiano
On Instagram @adamheronpiano

Laura started playing the flute at her local primary school in Coleford when she was 8. After starting to play piano a few years later, Laura has since gone on to pass grade 8 in both instruments, obtaining a distinction in her grade 8 flute. This is her third year with the orchestra, which she enjoys regularly playing in alongside other ensembles in the Forest of Dean, such as The Forest Flute Choir.

Laura joined Sir Thomas Rich’s School sixth form in Gloucester in 2014, where she is deputy school captain and principal flute in the school orchestra. She is currently studying for A Levels in Economics, Maths and Geography, and hopes to take a place up at Durham University in the autumn to study Economics.

Laura is looking forward to sharing the stage with Fiona Crawley, her teacher and musical inspiration, for her concerto debut.

Fiona is very active as a teacher and performer throughout Gloucestershire and beyond. She started playing the flute under Pete Tompkins at Wyedean School when she was 11 and quickly progressed to grade 8. Following a BA (Hons) in music and Italian from Bristol University where she specialised in performance and twentieth century repertoire she spent several years working for publishing houses before returning to music. She now teaches extensively in local schools and runs a thriving private practice.

Fiona is the founder and musical director of The Forest Flute Choir, now in its eleventh year and she is also responsible for creating the Yvonne Walkerdine Music Bursary which rewards young people for their music making and creative passion. She is delighted to be performing with Laura for this double flute concerto.

Philippa Green

Originally from Portsmouth, Philippa moved to Birmingham in 1998 to study at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Rimma Sushanskaya. Since graduating in 2003 with an Honours degree and Masters in Music she has worked extensively around the West Midlands and enjoys a busy and varied career as a freelance musician. She has performed on tour with artists such as Il Divo, Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Chris De Burgh, Alfie Boe, Tim Minchin and Johnny Mathis, both in the UK and Europe.

A sought-after leader for theatre orchestras, Philippa can be found most evenings sat in an orchestra pit in one of the many theatres in the region, playing both musicals and operas, and worked for one glorious summer in Austria performing with the Bad Ischl Operetta Orchestra during their 2002 summer season.

At weekends Philippa is more likely to be found performing with one of her two String Quartets. As leader of the Ramoray String Quartet she has given a number of recitals both in Birmingham and as part of a regular series in Bath. As leader of the Signature String Quartet she performs weekly at weddings and corporate functions across the country.

Her orchestral work includes performing with Midlands Sinfonia, Queen’s Park Sinfonia, English Symphony Orchestra, the City Concert Orchestra, Armonico Consort, as well as finding herself in demand as a guest-leader for various free-lance orchestras.

Philippa juggles her playing career with a busy teaching one, passing on her love of music and the violin to youngsters in local schools.

From church halls to 88,000 seater stadiums, from classrooms to concert halls, and from accompanying singers on stage to accompanying brides down the aisle, Philippa enjoys a wide and varying career in music, where no two days are ever the same!