Biographies and News     Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra The quartet has been playing together in various groups and ensembles for many years. All the players are current or past members of the prestigious Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra which is recognised as one of the best of it's kind in the country. Find out about all aspects of Youth Music in Luton by visiting the links page. Genevieve Haughey (violin) Genevieve spent four years at the Trinity College of Music studying violin, piano and musicianship, leading her to pass her ABRSM Grade 8 violin with distinction aged 17. She played in both the Luton Youth Orchestra, which she led on several occasions, and the Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra for over ten years. Genevieve enjoys performing as a soloist and has performed lunchtime recitals at Grove House, Dunstable and at Trinity College. She was also awarded a Luton Someries Rotary Club Major Award in 2002. In her spare time, Genevieve enjoys teaching the violin to youngsters and performing as lead singer and guitarist with her other ensemble - a band called Martha's Fury. Fabienne Morris (violin) Fabienne was an active member of both the Luton Youth Orchestra and the Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra throughout her teens. It was with the LYO that Fabienne and Genevieve performed the Bach Double Violin Concerto in the UK and on tour in Europe. Like the other members of the quartet, Fabienne has received expert tuition from the Maggini Quartet. She has been awarded the Senior Student Award from the Dunstable Saturday Morning Music School and the Luton Someries Rotary Club Highly Commended Scholarship two years running; she has also achieved Grade 8 ABRSM with distinction on both the violin and clarinet. Fabienne recently graduated from Oxford University with a BA Hons in Music and now works for the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Andrew Kitt (viola) Andrew began playing the viola at the age of ten and quickly established himself in the Bedfordshire Youth Music service, joining the orchestra and chamber groups after just 3 months of study. He has just finished a lengthy tenure as principal viola of the Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra. He has won numerous awards including the local Borough Council Award for public artistic achievement and can be seen in many of the musical and drama productions in and around the Bedfordshire area; he recently appeared at the National Theatre in the critically acclaimed Coram Boy. Andrew has also achieved high standards on the oboe and piano. He is currently studying Music at Goldsmiths University in London. David Foster (cello) David gained an ATCL Dipolma in Performance from Trinity College London in 2005 and performs as principal cellist with Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra. He also plays with the prestigious Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra as well as the 'Lutonality' string group. David was a Luton Someries Rotary Club Major Award winner in 2002, the Toddington Music Society's 'Young Musician of the Year' in 2003 and was also awarded The Bedford Rotary Club 'Young Musician of the Year'. In the Bedfordshire Festival of Music 2004, David was awarded the overall Festival Music Prize and gained a "Certificate of Merit" on the 2006 Hatfield and District Music Festival. David is currently reading Mathematics at Trinity College Cambridge with an Instrumental Award for chamber music Other Members 'A Bit of String' includes other members such as Alex Hird (violin/viola), Joanna Randall (violin), Simon Howes (violin) and Jordan Sian (violin/viola), all accomplished young musicians in the South Bedfordshire area. Festival Visit Members of the quartet performed at the Pablo Casals International Music Festival in El Vendrell, Spain as part of Bedfordshire Youth Orchestra. The program included Elgars Cello Concerto and the popular William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini. Festival Success ! Recently 'Bit of String' took part In the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, an annual event held each year in Bedford. The festival was founded in 1923 and is one of the largest and most successful in the county giving participants the chance to perform in the grand environments of the Corn Exchange, Harpur Suite and linked Halls. The quartet competed in the 'Chamber Music Ensemble Class', a well represented group covering strings, woodwind and brass and were very pleased to be awarded first prize and the Henry Burridge Cup (right) for their performance of the StreichQuartet No.2 by Alexander Borodin. This is one of the many pieces you can now listen to by visiting Our Music page. Concerto Engagement In December 2006, David was invited to perform the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No 1 in A minor with the Luton Symphony Orchestra at Stopsley Baptist Church, Luton as part of their Autumn concert season. Home Top Links