Marie is a talented violinist who has been involved in music since she was in primary school. She has studied under many different tutors but the most influential to her career was Rhiannon Davies of Cardiff who taught her during her time at Monmouth Comprehensive School. Marie gained an honours degree whilst studying music performance at Bretton Hall College of Music after which she returned to the Forest of Dean and began working in the Health and Safety Department at the Royal Forest (Beechams) Factory in Coleford. At the same time, she joined the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra (RFDO) as leader of the second violins, and Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra (GSO) on front desk of the first violins next to the superb Clare Piper.
It was at the Beechams Factory that Marie developed a keen interest in the diverse world of health and safety including chemical management, culture change, behavioural safety, machinery safety and ergonomics to name a few. During her time at the factory she gained two masters of science degrees in Health, Safety and Environmental Management with the University of Glamorgan, and Ergonomics with the University of Derby.
Over the years Marie has kept her love of music alive by playing with RFDO, GSO, The film Orchestra (TfO) and various musicals and individual concerts, and was given the amazing opportunity to perform as soloist for all three orchestras in the past, her most memorable being Scheherazade with GSO. “I was so nervous beforehand. I remember speaking to Glyn [Oxley] just before walking on and I was literally shaking!”. Her last solo was fortunately just before the first lockdown at Malvern Priory with TfO on the 7th March 2020 where she performed the haunting three pieces from Schindler’s List. It was a very emotional performance and Marie was very touched when an audience member, a holocaust survivor, approached her after the concert to congratulate her.
Marie is very much looking forward to playing the Lark Ascending for RFDO. “This piece means a lot to me. It is the second solo piece I ever played since leaving university. It is also the piece I played at the wedding of a good friend and unfortunately her husband’s funeral only a year later. I am very honoured to be playing this piece again for RFDO, an orchestra I really miss playing with. I may get a little tearful!”
Marie is now Health and Safety Manager for Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools and is currently principal violinist of GSO and TfO. She lives in the Forest of Dean with her husband John, son Isaac (6), daughter Elena (1) and her two dobermanns Jacob and Micah.
