Benedict Holland, Violin

Benedict Holland studied violin and piano at the Royal Academy of Music, later moving to the Royal Northern College of Music to study in Yossi Zivoni’s violin class. As a chamber musician, he was a founder member of the Matisse Piano Quartet and the Music Group of Manchester. He is currently a member of virtuoso chamber ensemble I Musicanti, and together with friends David Greed, Heather Wallington and Jen Langridge, of the Victoria Quartet, as well as pursuing a busy recital programme with both piano and organ.

As an experienced orchestral leader, he has guest-led many of the UK’s major orchestras, including the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble, Orchestra of Opera North and BBC Philharmonic and until 2023, he was the violinist and occasional violist with the contemporary ensemble Psappha.

Ben has always put teaching at the heart of his work, at the RNCM where he was awarded a professorship in 2016. He also teaches a class of talented young violinists at the Junior RNCM and gives consultative classes in orchestral and contemporary techniques at Trinity Laban Conservatoire where he is a visiting artist.

Ben’s violin is a rare Rogeri, c. 1710.

David Greed, Violin

David Greed has been leader of the Orchestra of Opera North since 1978 – at that time the youngest leader in the country.
His solo and concerto repertoire are extensive and he has appeared with most of the regions orchestras as concerto soloist.

He has also been engaged as guest leader with orchestras throughout the country – including the Philharmonia, Royal Opera, Halle, Royal Liverpool, CBSO, BBC Scottish and BBC Philharmonic orchestras.
He has been violin tutor for the National Youth Orchestra of GB, Chetham’s School and European Union Youth Orchestra.
He has recorded VW’s ‘The Lark Ascending’ on the Naxos label with the Orchestra of Opera North and also the Elgar Concerto with Hertfordshire Youth Orchestra.
He is Music Director of the Sinfonia of Leeds and the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra.
He is a string advisor for Yorkshire Young Musicians.

David plays on a violin by J B Guadagnini (1757) owned by the Yorkshire Guadagnini Syndicate.

Heather Wallington, Viola

Heather studied at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music with Simon Roland-Jones and Roger Raphael. She was principal viola in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and a string finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition.During her time at the RNCM, Heather was a prize winner in the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and won the Bernard Shore Memorial Viola Prize. She was also a RNCM Junior Fellow with the Nossek String Quartet with whom she performed extensively.

Heather has enjoyed touring the world as a member of the London Symphony Orchestra and working regularly with conductors such as Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle. Particular highlights include recording the film scores for the Harry Potter films and playing at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics with an orchestra of children from East London and Mr Bean! She was also Associate Principal Viola in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and has been guest principal viola with several of the country’s leading orchestras. She also teaches at the RNCM. 

Jennifer Langridge, Cello

Jen studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Eduardo Vassallo and went on to become a Junior Fellow at the RNCM as part of the Nossek String Quartet, which had a successful recital career for 10 years until 1999.

Jen was a member of Psappha Ensemble for 23 years, touring across Europe, North and South America, Australia, and most recently to Jerusalem. The group performs regularly on BBC Radio 3 and has made eight CD recordings. Jen has often performed as a soloist with Psappha, most notably at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms in 2004, playing Maxwell Davies, ‘Linguae Ignis’ for solo cello and ensemble.

Alongside her work with the Victoria Quartet and Psappha, Jen is a cello tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, The University of Manchester and Chetham’s School of Music.

She plays on a Peter Walmsley cello 1729.