Biography

Formed in 2007 the Nephele Ensemble has established a reputation for fine performances, with engagements taking them to prestigious venues and concert series' such as St. David's Hall, Cardiff and the Leeds International Concert Season. In 2010 the Nephele Ensemble were joint winners of the Tunnell Trust Young Artists competition, semi-finalists in the Royal Overseas League Competition and shortlisted artists for the Park Lane Group. In 2011 the Nephele Ensemble were recipients of an Ensemble Award by the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

With an active interest in contemporary music, the Nephele Ensemble have commissioned and performed several new works. They received awards from the PRS Foundation and the RVW Trust to commission 'Aerial', a stunning new work by the distinguished British composer Timothy Salter. Since its premiere in 2009 they have given many further performances throughout the UK, and have recently recorded the work on the Usk Archives label. The Nephele Ensemble is currently working closely with British composer Colin Riley, with whom they are developing an extensive outreach programme. They look forward to premiering numerous new works by Colin over the next couple of years and are grateful to the MBF for their generous support of this project..

Originally formed as a flute quartet the Nephele Ensemble has worked extensively over the last two years with harpist Celine Saout, now a permanent member of the group. They have also collaborated with William Vann (piano), Celine Saout (harp), Timothy Orpen (clarinet), Cressida Wislocki (viola) and Emily Steinitz (violin), performing a wide range of repertoire in various combinations, from piano quartets to septets.

Nicola Smedley

Flute

Nicola Smedley studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Royal Academy of Muisc where she was awarded the Jo Weinburg Flute Prize. She was a member of the Manson Ensemble, with whom she broadcasted live on BBC Radio 3. As a soloist Nicola has given many recitals and concerto performances, such as Mozart G Major Concerto and the Nielson Flute Concerto under Owaine Arwel Hughes with the Southbank Sinfonia in 2006. Also in this year Nicola was a wind finalist in the Tunbridge Wells Young Concert Artist Competition.

Nicola co-founded the Nephele Ensemble in 2007 and has since performed at venues across the UK for music societies including St David's Hall Cardiff and Leeds International Chamber Music Recitals. As an orchestral musician, Nicola has toured Europe and America. In 2006, she took part in the Encuentro y Academia de Santander playing under Vladimir Ashkenazy as well as in the Orchestra of the Reina Sofia School, Madrid, playing under Sir Colin Davies. Nicola is busy freelancing with orchestras such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, English Touring Opera, Orchestra of St Martin in the Fields and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

Samantha Wickramasinghe

Violin

Samantha Wickramasinghe was born in Perth, Western Australia, where she began violin studies at the age of five with her father. In 2000 she moved to the UK to study at the Royal Academy of Music after winning a scholarship. Her teachers have included Lydia Mordkovitch, Marianne Thorsen and Sophie Langdon. In 2004 she graduated with a First Class Honours degree, and has since been in high demand as both a chamber and orchestral musician, collaborating with some of the world’s finest ensembles.

As a soloist she has played in many festivals throughout the UK and Australia, and has appeared with the Southbank Sinfonia performing Brahms Violin Concerto under the direction of Owain Arwell Hughes. A co-founding member of the Nephele Ensemble, chamber concerts include St David’s Hall Cardiff and the Leeds International Concert Season. They were winners of the Tunnell Trust competition in 2009 and semi finalists of the Royal Overseas League competition in 2010.

An active chamber musician, Samantha has made guest appearances in concerts with the Chamber Music Company, and chamber performances include venues such as St Martin in the Fields, St John’s Smith Square, Conway Hall and Wigmore Hall. Samantha also enjoys a varied orchestral career, being regularly invited to play with the majority of the UK’s leading orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Samantha plays on an Italian 1746 Carcassi violin.

Jessica Beeston

Viola

Jessica Beeston received a first class Masters degree from the Mozarteum, Salzburg where she studied viola with Thomas Riebl. Previously she studied with David Takeno and Krysia Osostowicz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Jessica has been supported in her studies by the Countess of Munster Trust, the Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship, the Cross Trust, the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, and the Waddell memorial prize for strings.

Jessica is a guest principal viola of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and regularly plays with Camerata Salzburg, the London Symphony Orchestra, and has also played with the LSO, RLPO, BBC SSO and BBC NOW. She performed in the Wigmore Hall with Ensemble Na Mara and has recently become a member of the Nephele Ensemble. She has participated in the Prussica Cove master classes and the Mendelssohn on Mull chamber music festival.

This year Jessica was a soloist in the ROSL strings competition. As a member of Live Music Now with pianist Andrew Jonhston she has performed in venues throughout the country. Jessica has been described as being ‘a commanding presence in total control of the music’ (Butterworth, Paxton, July 2008) and ‘a stunning viola player’ (Michael Tumelty, The Herald, Feb 2008).

Rebecca Hewes

Cello

Rebecca Hewes regularly performs throughout the UK and abroad as a soloist and chamber musician. Born in Yorkshire, she studied at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2005 with first-class honours. Her teachers have included Hannah Roberts, David Smith and Phillip Sheppard, in addition to studies in Baroque Cello with Jennifer Ward-Clarke. Rebecca has since appeared in numerous major international chamber music festivals and concert series’, with performances at prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall and Hong Kong Cultural Centre. She is in continuing demand as a soloist and has performed many of the major cello concerto works throughout the UK and across Europe, with tours in Ireland, France and Spain.

As a chamber musician Rebecca has an established duo with pianist Russell Hepplewhite, with whom she has given many critically acclaimed recitals. She is the cellist with the Nephele Ensemble and regularly collaborates with the Chamber Music Company, with whom she was Artist in Residence at the Indaba New Music Festival in South Africa in 2008.

Rebecca is also the cellist of Svyati Duo with organist Julian Collings, with whom her future engagements include recitals throughout the UK, China and the USA. With Svyati Duo Rebecca has appeared on numerous radio stations and has released two critically-acclaimed CDs on the Regent Records label.

Celine Saout

Harp

Celine was born in Paris and started playing the harp when she was 8. She studied in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The Royal Academy of Music where she graduated with honours. She performed her first concerto when she was 12 and has since won many prizes including 1st prize in the European UFAM competition.

Celine's interest in modern music brings her to perform and premiere the works of living composers with various ensembles, in addition to appearing on recordings with bands such as Divine Comedy and Incognito. As an orchestral harpist Celine has been playing with Northern Ballet for four years and is also a regular guest with CBSO, RPO, Philarmonia and RLPO.

Celine has performed in concerts throughout Europe, New York and the Far East at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell room, St James Palace and the Lincoln Center.

Celine plays on a beautiful harp made in Germany by Horngacher.