Birmingham Conservatoire : Our Tutors and Staff

Our Tutors and Staff

Catherine Ardagh-Walter
Cello Tutor
Catherine Ardagh-Walter was born in Winchester, Hampshire, and studied the cello from the age of seven. She graduated from the Royal College of Music in 1989 and went on to perform mainly as a duo-recitalist with the pianist, Emily Jeffrey. She took up her post with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) in May 1995 and, in addition to her work with the orchestra, has a busy schedule of teaching and chamber music performing.

Mark Ashford
Head of Guitar
Mark Ashford is an internationally renowned performer and teacher. He began his formal musical education as a scholarship student at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester at the age of 12. He then won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, London from where he graduated with first class honours in 1994. He completed his studies with the eminent guitarist David Russell in Vigo, Spain thanks to awards from the Countess of Munster, Allcard Grants and the Royal Academy of Music...

Andrew Bain
First Study Drums, Ensemble Coaching, Rhythm Class Tutor
Andrew Bain is one of the leading performers and educators in the UK. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Winner of the BBC Big Band Drummer 2001; he has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Bob Mintzer, John Taylor, Iain Dixon, Mike Walker, Jason Rebello, Mike Janisch, Phil Robson, Jim Hart, Mark Lockheart, Chris Batchelor, Mark Hodgson, Jean Toussaint, Houston Pearson, John Parricelli, Steve Watts, Stan Sulzman, and was a member...

Fred T Baker
First Study Electric Bass Tutor
Fred Thelonious Baker (born 4 June 1960) is an English guitarist and bass guitarist from Tibshelf, Derbyshire. He is known for playing in Phil Miller 's Canterbury scene band In Cahoots .[1] Baker played the guitar until his mid-teens, at which point he began to take an interest in the bass as well. He played in The John Etheridge / Ric Sanders Group in the early 1980s. He has also worked with his own group, the Fred Thelonious Baker Group who recorded a self-titled album in 1984....

Pete Beachill
Specialist Lecturer
One of London's leading trombonists, Pete Beachill works regularly with many top recording artists such as Quincy Jones, Sting, Robbie Williams, Shirley Bassey, Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney. He has played on countless TV soundtracks and live shows, albums, film scores and pop tracks, performing in a diverse range of styles - from playing with Gil Evans to appearances with the Black Dyke Mills Band. Pete has also appeared as principal trombone with many leading orchestras such as the...

Catherine Benson
Visiting Tutor
Catherine Benson studied at Chethams School of Music and then The Guildhall School of Music , studying with Noelle Barker. She spent three years at the Guildhall gaining her AGSM and a further two years on the opera course under the guidance of Vilem Tausky. After Guildhall, she embarked on a successful freelance career singing in concert, oratorio and opera. She toured the country for Raymond Gubbay, with the late Jack Rothstein performing Johann Strauss Galas. These included...

Ulla Benz
Violin Tutor
Ulla Benz received her first violin lessons at the age of five. After her studies with Zakhar Bron, Liana Issakadze and Werner Scholz at the universities of Music in Munich, Lübeck and Berlin, she was honoured with the Cultural Award for Outstanding Musicians of Germany and has been a frequent guest at various music festivals in Europe, Asia and South America. As the guest concert master of various orchestras and soloist Ms Benz performed with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Norway)...

Robert Birchall
Visiting Tutor
Robert began learning music first on his own initiative before starting piano and music lessons in his home town of Stafford with Percy Jones, He attended Chethams Music School and then studied privately with Ian Gleaves before going on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music where his principle teacher was George Hadjinikos. Robert has wide and varied teaching experience; as well as teaching privately and at schools and colleges in England he also taught music in Iceland where...

Dave Blackadder
Visiting Tutor
Dave took up the trumpet aged nine following in the footsteps of his grandfather who was a bandmaster in the North East. He joined the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra and went on to study at the Royal College of Music with Michael Laird. After a season as guest principal trumpet with Scottish Opera he joined the English Baroque Soloists and Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique as principal trumpet under Sir John Eliot Gardiner and also became principal trumpet with the...

Olivia Blackburn
Vocal and Languages (French/German) Tutor
Olivia Blackburn has been a professional soprano for a number of years, working in the fields of opera, oratorio and German, French and Spanish song. At the Conservatoire, she provides vocal tuition with special support in languages, teaching students how to sing in German and French. She also takes song classes, working with students on how to interpret and perform a wide range of repertoire to the best of their ability. Her professional recordings include: Bach B Minor Mass ; James...