KEITH GURRY was born in East Ham where he received his first musical
education. He studied the violin with Marta Eitler, before going to the Royal Academy of Music in 1964. Whilst at the Academy he worked with Ralph Holmes; and after being awarded the Bach and Beethoven Scholarship he continued his studies with Sidney Griller. In 1968 Keith joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and continued studying the violin with Homi Kanga. He served on the Board of Directors of that Orchestra from 1973 to 1977.

In 1978 Keith joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra and combined orchestral work with recitals and appearances with several chamber music groups. Together with his recital partner of over twenty years, the pianist David Silkoff, Keith made his Purcell Room debut in June 1977.

Keith has been a frequent and popular soloist at concerts of the Woodford Symphony Orchestra for many years. Following his retirement from the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2005 Keith became the Leader of WSO.

Keith's violin is by Francesco Guadagnini and was made in Turin in 1888.

MICHAEL LESSITER studied music and drama at the City of Leicester College of Education. Since his debut with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, he has performed and recorded over a wide spectrum of music. Now a member of the Royal Opera House chorus, he has previously appeared with Opera North, Wexford Festival Opera, Dublin Grand Opera Society, Kent Opera and Opera della Luna. European engagements have included Lyons Opera, Bordeaux Opera, Netherlands Opera, Nationale Reisopera and the Holland Festival. In Paris he performed the role of Shabemack in Ligeti's 'Le Grand Macabre'. His West End credits include Pirates of Penzance at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria.

Michael has a wide oratorio repertoire, and in the early music field has worked with the Gabrieli Consort and Players at the Covent Garden and La Chaise Dieu Festivals and in Venice at the Scuola di San Rocco.

When not singing at Covent Garden, Michael plays the violin with Woodford Symphony Orchestra.

INGE-LISE NYGAARD PARSONS grew up in Haderslev, Denmark where, from a very early age, she was involved in music making. After graduating in singing, choral conducting and organ form the Academies of Music in Esbjerg and Copenhagen, she move to London to continue her studies with Jessica Cash, Raymond Connell and Emma Kirkby.

She has performed concerts as the soloist for various oratorios and sacred works with a number of choirs and orchestras across Denmark, including the South Jutland Symphony Orch, Storstrøms Amts Chamber Ensemble, Århus Chamber Ensemble, and Århus Bach Orchestra, and several choral societies in London. Inge-Lise has given numerous recitals of chamber music and solo songs in Denmark and England with a special emphasis on Baroque music and contemporary music.

You can find out more about Inge-Lise via this LINK