2011 Musicians
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Quintet
Alastair Savage – Violin 1
Alastair Savage is originally from Ayrshire and played both classical violin and traditional music in his youth. He graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with honours in 1994 and completed his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London a year later. He then worked as a freelance player with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and toured extensively with the Scottish Ensemble. He joined the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra as a staff player in 1997 with whom he has since toured China, the USA, South America and Europe. As a soloist he has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland, and has released two solo CDs of predominantly his own compositions. As a session musician he has collaborated with many performers in the folk and rock world.
Amy Cardigan – violin 2
Amy Cardigan studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Academy of Music. During her time at RCS, Amy was the recipient of the Robert Highgate Scholarship, the Eric Dodds Memorial Scholarship and was a winner of the Keldwyth Award for Cumbrian musicians. She was a regular participant of the Mendelssohn on Mull chamber music festival and also participated in the Zermatt Chamber Music Festival for three years, playing alongside members of the Scharoun Ensemble of the Berlin Philharmonic. Amy was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra for four years, with whom she toured extensively throughout Europe, as well as Russia and Brazil. After completing her studies, Amy freelanced for four years, playing with many of the orchestras in the UK, before becoming a member of the first violin section of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She is also a founding member of the Broderick Horn Trio and the European Chamber Players, with whom she has toured Austria, Liechtenstein and the UK.
Andrew Berridge - Viola
Andrew Berridge was born on the Wirral and grew up in Leeds where he studied violin from the age of 5. After further studies with Peter Mountain and Ena Cohen he read Law for a year at the University of Liverpool before transferring to Music. He won an Arts' Scholarship that enabled him to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, first on violin with Ben Holland and then viola with Roger Bigley and Scott Dickinson. There he won prizes for viola and chamber music before embarking on a freelance career in the North of England playing with all the major orchestras. He joined the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2003 - its youngest member at the time - as co-principal viola. He is also a tutor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has appeared regularly with the Scottish Ensemble.
Mark O'Keefe - Trumpet
Mark O'Keefe, Creative Scotland winner 2003, has held the post of principal trumpet with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra since December 1996. He is a native of County Cork, Ireland, whre he began his musical studies at the age of seven. After playing in the local brass band and receiving trumpet lessons from his father, his love of the trumpet developed. Over the past fifteen years, he has appeared as soloist with the BBC SSO performing new works by Judith Bingham, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Thea Musgrave and Tansy Davies, as well as concertos by Telemann, Hummel and Shostakovich. In addition to his career with the BBC SSO, he has recorded a solo repertoire on the Delphian label and is a committed chamber musician playing with ensembles which share his passion for new music. These include guest Principal Trumpet with the London Sinfonietta, London Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony , BBC Symphony, Halle and Mahler Chamber Orchestras.
Alison Lawrance – Cello
Alison Lawrance was born in Leicestershire and went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1982. During her time there she won various prizes including the Birdie Warshaw Cello Prize, the Toussaint Prize for Bach and the Elsie Doris Moss Memorial Competition. She was Principal Cellist of the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra before joining the Orchestra of Scottish Opera.
In 1993 Alison joined the Scottish Ensemble, where she is principal cellist. She is a founder member of the Saltire Quartet, which promotes contemporary Scottish music. Until recently Alison was a member of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra; she joined the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2009. She has been guest lead cellist of the English National Opera Orchestra, Orchestra of Scottish Opera, BBC SSO and the Northern Sinfonia. Recently she could be heard playing solo cello in Craig Armstrong's music for Oliver Stone's film World Trade Centre.
