Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Tutors and Staff (A to Z)
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Rachael Pankhurst
Oboe Tutor
Born in Wiltshire, Rachael initially wanted to learn the cello but, as there wasn’t one in the school cupboard, she took up the oboe at the age of eight instead. As a sixth form pupil at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, Rachael had lessons with Irene Pragnell. Whilst studying for a joint degree at Manchester University and...
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Joanna Patton
Clarinet & Eb Clarinet Tutor
Joanna Patton comes from the Wirral. She studied at Chetham's School of Music before gaining her honours degree and performance diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music . She has performed numerous concertos with various orchestras including the Tomasi concerto as part of the Aix-en-Provence festival, the Mozart...
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Sean Pepper
Trumpet Tutor
Sean studied trumpet at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under Alan Thomas (CBSO, BBC Concert Orchestra), holding the position of principal trumpet with the college Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia, Brass Ensemble, and Wind Orchestra throughout his undergraduate study, and graduating in 2011. After winning a scholarship for...
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Chloe Percy-Smith
Saxophone Tutor
Chloe is a Midlands-based saxophonist who studied for her undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Upon graduating with distinction, she was awarded the Musicians Union Bill Warman Award and the Postgraduate Pedagogy Award. Chloe is currently the Saxophone Tutor for the Junior Department of...
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Dr Martin Perkins
Head of Historical Performance, Senior Lecturer and Instrument Curator
Martin Perkins started his undergraduate studies at Birmingham Conservatoire in 1993 where he studied composition and French Horn. However, his interest in Early Music soon led him to the harpsichord and, after studies with Lucy Carolan, he graduated with an MA in 1998. For his MPhil, at the University of Birmingham, he studied...
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Elliott Perks
Viola Tutor
Elliott grew up in Surrey, UK where he was home educated with his siblings until the age of nine. In 2001 he was awarded a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where he studied with Suzie Meszaros, Rosemary Warren-Green and Loutsia Ibragimova on the violin until 2008, when he changed to first study viola. Elliott was a...
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Caroline Pether
Visiting Tutor - Violin
Caroline is the Leader of Manchester Camerata, often assuming the role of Soloist and/or Director with the orchestra. Chamber music sensibilities are at the heart of Caroline’s music-making; she enjoys a regular duo partnership with Camerata's principal cellist Hannah Roberts and guest leads chamber music projects and chamber...
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Jenni Phillips
Head of Woodwind
Jenni Phillips studied at the Purcell School and the Royal College of Music with Michael Winfield. She then went on to win a Countess of Munster Scholarship to study at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies. Soon after leaving NCOS, she was appointed as 2nd Oboe in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra where she...
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Dr Matthew Pilcher
Lecturer in Music
Dr Matthew Pilcher graduated from the University of Idaho in 2001 with degrees in Applied Performance: Piano (BA, cum laude ) and Music History and Literature (BA, cum laude ). Further studies at the University of Idaho culminated in an MMus in Piano Pedagogy and Performance Studies (2005, distinction) and an MA in Music...
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Jacqueline Pischorn
German language coach
Jacqueline Pischorn was born in Austria and studied singing at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz and at Trinity College of Music in London where she worked with conductors Diego Masson and Peter Stark. She studied contemporary music at the Britten Pears School with Oliver Knussen and Rosemary Hardy. ...