Timothy English

Timothy English was born in London to a musical family. His Father was the tenor Gerald English, and his Mother, Jane Ryan, played the bass viol. His formal musical training was at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he studied violin with John Georgiadis, then leader of the London Symphony Orchestra. He then went on to study with the Hungarian violinist Bela Katona and Mark Knight before embarking on a career as a chamber musician and freelance violinist.

In 1996 he was appointed Head of Strings for the St Albans Music School and then for Central Hertfordshire. From September 1996 to July 2001 he was Head of Strings at Oundle School in Northamptonshire and then in 1999 took over as conductor of the String Orchestra at the Royal College of Music Junior Department. In September 2000 he accepted the post of Head of the Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he continues to work today.

As a violinist he has worked with many prominent orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. As a chamber musician he joined the London Virtuosi touring extensively in Europe and America and was a founder member of the Ceruti Piano Trio.

His conducting experience includes performances of Vaughan-Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis in St Albans Abbey, Poulenc’s Organ Concerto in the Chapel at Oundle, Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ in St Martins Bull Ring, Birmingham and Tippett’s ‘Crown of the Year’ at the Aldeburgh Festival. He was director of the Central Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra appearing regularly in London, St Albans and Worms in Germany, and conductor of the Classical Orchestra at Trinity College Junior Department.