About the musicians
Julia Burkert, violin
Born in Bayreuth, Germany, Julia studied under a full scholarship with Ann Elliott-Goldschmid and the Lafayette Quartet at the University of Victoria in Canada, followed by postgraduate studies with Peter Lissauer at the RSAMD in Glasgow, Scotland. She has played with many well-known orchestras both in Canada and in Europe, including the New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Prince George and others.
Since 2005, Julia has pursued an active freelance career in London, playing with the English Chamber Orchestra, Covent Garden Soloists, Orchestra of St Johns, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Bath Philharmonic, Grange Park Opera and many more. She leads the German Doctors Orchestra and has led the Cambridge, Guildford and Croydon Symphony Orchestras.
Her special love belongs to chamber music. Julia plays in a contemporary mixed ensemble, as well as long term in a string quartet in Canada and since 2005 with the Crystal Palace Quartet. She enjoys playing in other regular chamber music projects in Germany and England several times a year.
She also enjoys pop, crossover and TV projects. She was a member of the cast of the musical Sinatra and recently has been asked to perform on Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor, Circus Roncalli and ABBA (the show). A few years ago, she was lucky to play in the Golden Globe award-winning movie “Farinelli”.
Alice Butcher, violin
Alice Butcher combines chamber music with an extensive freelance orchestral career. She is a graduate of York University and gained her MMus with Distinction from Trinity College of Music. Awards include The Wilfrid Mellors Travel Bursary, The Emanuel Hurwitz Chamber Music scholarship and The Charles Davis Award to attend Dartington International Summer School. Alongside her work with the Crystal Palace String Quartet, Alice regularly performs in chamber recitals with piano trios, violin-piano duos, and as a member of The Boccherini String Trio. She has taken part in masterclasses with Lydia Mordkovitch, Sandor Devich, the Brodsky and Chilingirian string quartets.
Alice’s orchestral work encompasses orchestras throughout Britain and Ireland including the National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Alice also enjoys the lighter side of music and has played in the shows Sinatra and Miss Saigon as well as touring throughout Europe with Abba: The Show.
Chris Brody, viola
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Chris obtained a BA in Music from Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. He spent a year at Schaffhausen Konservatorium, Switzerland before coming to London to complete his postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His teachers have included Herbert Greenberg, Robert Koff, Wilma Smith, Andras von Toszeghi, Jack Glickman and Simon Rowland-Jones.
As a freelance orchestral player he is principal viola for Camerata of London, Surrey Sinfonietta, I Maestri, Skolia Orchestra and Camerata Santa Dorotea, and has performed with the RPO, Ulster Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Carl Rosa Opera Company, English Symphony Orchestra and WNO among others. He has given concerts internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, and is also a keen choral singer.
Sarah Westley, cello
Since receiving her BMus (Hons) from Trinity College of Music under Joely Koos and Tim Gill and her PGdip and LRAM from the Royal Academy of Music under Jo Knight and Jennifer Ward Clark, Sarah has performed internationally in a variety of guises. She was awarded the title of BBC County Young Musician of Hereford and Worcester, has performed a series of recitals at the Niveran Centre, Iran and has performed Saint-Saens, Elgar and Boccherini concertos around the country.
Her training included work as principal of both British Youth Opera and Orchestra of the City and she now works regularly with English National Opera, Milton Keynes City Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English National Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, Camerata of London and Surrey Sinfonietta. She has also toured as principal of The Soloists of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Session work includes that with Killa Kela, Jarvis Cocker, Damon Alban and Elton John and she is currently playing in the West End Production of Sister Act. Sarah is also an active baroque musician, performing with the London Handel Orchestra, Saraband Consort and Linden Baroque.
