Biography

Jennifer graduated with a Masters of Orchestra Performance from the Royal College of Music, with Simon Rowland-Jones, where she was generously supported in her studies by the Dewar Arts Awards and the Duncraig Trust.

Growing up on the West Coast of Scotland, Jennifer’s quartet won its category in the National Chamber Music Competition for 3 consecutive years before being invited to participate in the London String Quartet Symposium in 2007. She later became a scholarship student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. During her undergraduate years at the RWCMD, she held placements with the Welsh National Opera and BBC National Orchestra of Wales (NOW). Recently, Jennifer has enjoyed performing with the BBC NOW in concerts broadcast live on Radio 3. Whist at the RCM, Jennifer was the principal of the Classical Orchestra and has performed with Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Charles Mackerras and Bernard Haitink.

A keen chamber musician, Jennifer has enjoyed performances with her string quartet at King’s Place and in the 2013 Winter Whites Gala at Kensington Palace for Centrepoint. In both 2009 and 2010 she won the Steinitz Bach Prize, and on graduation was awarded both the Peter Esswood Prize for Strings and the Gabb & Co Prize for Chamber Music.

Jennifer is passionately committed to promoting music through outreach events and works closely with the RCM Sparks and Junior Music departments, where she is a mentor.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

What or who inspired you to become a professional musician?
Our county youth orchestra had a ‘side-by-side’ weekend concert with players from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra when I was about fourteen years old and I just remember coming away from that weekend thinking it would be great to be able to do that every day.

If you were going to be sent to a desert island, which three items would you take with you?
My viola (the bow doubles as a fishing spear), the works of Jane Austen and a deck chair – lovely.