About Us
Finding inspiration in every turn
The Whittington Ensemble is a versatile London-based group of high level professional chamber musicians passionate about performing both on stage and in education and healthcare settings. The players have seen how the power of music provides respite, brings calmness and relaxation, joy and inspiration. The musicians are classically trained and perform classical, folk and popular music.
Our Story
Sarah returned to the Whittington Hospital seven years ago to thank the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff for her successful treatment and recovery. After a concert she gave for the staff and patients, Sarah was asked to bring live music into the hospital on a regular basis, to be supported by Healthy Generations, an Islington-based charity.
Thus, the Whittington Ensemble was born and began at the Whittington Hospital, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Royal Free Hospital and for social support projects for local churches and medical centres.
This Project has continued to grow over the years. Recently, potential medical students who play at a high level perform with professional players. They appreciate the insight playing in a hospital has given them, as well as a deeper understanding of the medical world providing enthusiasm to pursue their potential goals. As Sarah and Joseph are involved in cultural exchange projects with various countries, musicians from abroad have come to play with them in London. As The Whittington has a diverse community this has been well received by so many.
The Musicians
Clare Thompson
Violin
Clare Thompson was a prize-winning student at the Royal Academy of Music. Scholarships then enabled her to complete her postgraduate studies in Germany. On her return, she was soon appointed to the Principal 2nd chair of the English Chamber Orchestra. In that time she has also appeared as guest leader with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Thames Chamber Orchestra, the English Festival Orchestra and principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and more recently, working extensively as Co-Leader of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Clare has also enjoyed an active music career recording and broadcasting and working in the studio, has recorded film scores including The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Hobbit.
Since leaving the Philharmonia Orchestra where she was Sub-Leader for over a decade, Clare is fast becoming one of London's sought after violin teachers and is a professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has recently been appointed to the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music. She also has a private studio in North London working with children from the age 7 - 18.
Clare was recently made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in her recognition of her services to music.
Towa Matsuda
Violin
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Sarah Parffitt
Viola
Clare Thompson was a prize-winning student at the Royal Academy of Music. Scholarships then enabled her to complete her postgraduate studies in Germany. On her return, she was soon appointed to the Principal 2nd chair of the English Chamber Orchestra. In that time she has also appeared as guest leader with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Thames Chamber Orchestra, the English Festival Orchestra and principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and more recently, working extensively as Co-Leader of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Clare has also enjoyed an active music career recording and broadcasting and working in the studio, has recorded film scores including The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Hobbit.
Since leaving the Philharmonia Orchestra where she was Sub-Leader for over a decade, Clare is fast becoming one of London's sought after violin teachers and is a professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has recently been appointed to the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music. She also has a private studio in North London working with children from the age 7 - 18.
Clare was recently made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in her recognition of her services to music.
Adrian Bradbury
Cello
Adrian Bradbury was principal cello in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain before wining scholarships to Churchill College, Cambridge (where he read Veterinary Science and Music) and then to the Royal Academy of Music. After further study in Berlin he developed an international career in chamber music as the cellist in Composers Forum giving world premieres of solos, duets, trios and quartets by Thomas Ades, Judith Bingham and John Woolrich. He is also a regular guest principal player with orchestras including London Sinfonietta, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, English National Opera and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and is Cello Tutor for the National Youth Orchestra of GB.
His research into ensemble synchronisation, in collaboration with Professor Alan Wing, was published by the Royal Society and led to invitations to curate the 'Music and Brain' series at the 2010 Aldeburgh Festival and to appear as speaker on BBC Radio 4's 'PM' and 'Today' programmes ans as as soloist on BBC Radio 3's 2015 'Why Music?' weekend.
Together with Pianist Oliver Davies, recorded the complete operatic fantasies of the 19th century cello virtuoso Alfred Piatti.
Joseph Sanders
Oboe
Joseph Sanders read modern languages at Cambridge University, before postgraduate oboe studies with Janet Craxton at the Royal Academy of Music and Heinz Holliger at Freiburg Musikhochschule on a DAAD scholarship.
Joseph was oboist for Ensemble Modern//Frankfurt for 25 years, playing in numerous world premieres and recordings, and has worked with the leading composers of our day including Pierre Boulez, Oliver Knussen, George Benjamin, Steve Reich and John Cage. He has also played principal oboe for every major orchestra and chamber group in the UK, as well as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
For 7 years from 2008 he performed extensively as guest principal of the London Symphony Orchestra under Valery Gergiev and Sir Colin Davies among others. He continues to enjoy freelance work as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player.
In 1988 Joseph trained to be an Alexander Technique Teacher and has been the Alexander Technique Teacher for the National Youth Orchestra and the Guildhall of Music & Drama. Joseph is also an experienced tutor giving educational workshops for children and students.
Julia White
Oboe
Julia White, oboe, recorders, Irish whistles, piano was formerly a member of Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra, Chile. After performing the Strauss Oboe Concerto in St. John’s, Smith Square, London, she was described as ‘an ideal interpreter’ of the work: ‘This was a most assured performance, full of warm lyricism and dazzling virtuosity’ – Bob Briggs, Music Web International.
Julia has extensive experience of providing music in healthcare. In addition to her work at the Whittington Hospital, she is an artist in residence for the CW+ charity, playing piano in West Middlesex and Chelsea and Westminster hospitals. She also performs regularly for Music in Hospitals and Care and for Lost Chord, which provides interactive concerts for those affected by dementia.
She has degrees in History & English from Oxford University, an MA (Music) from Birmingham Conservatoire, and a Postgraduate Advanced Diploma with distinction from Trinity College of Music. During her studies at Trinity, she was selected for the BBC Concert Orchestra Mentor Scheme; she was subsequently a Junior Fellow at Trinity College. She is an assessor for Leeds College of Music and for the MTB exam board. She has recorded for Channel 4, for the Danish production company Tegnefilm, and for the Oboe Classics CD label.
Alan Andrews
Clarinet
Alan Andrews is a busy freelance orchestral and chamber musician. His wide experience includes playing clarinet, bass & contrabass clarinet, and saxophone with every major UK orchestra, for example, the BBC Orchestras, the Royal Opera House Orchestra, the Orchestra of the of English National Ballet and the London Symphony Orchestra. He has taken part in premières of works by contemporary composers including James MacMillan, Colin Matthews and George Benjamin.
Regarding teaching, Alan taught clarinet at Westminster School for over 20 years, and has also coached the clarinettists' of the London Schools Symphony Orchestra.
He is increasingly engaged in technical projects such as making clarinet mouthpieces and has received commissions from leading clarinettists for his unique basset clarinet design. Continuing the large instrument theme, a current venture is to design and build a sub-contrabass clarinet which, when completed, will have the lowest range of any woodwind instrument ever to have existed.
Steven Wray
Piano
Steven Wray read music at Oxford University. Following on from studies in Salzburg and Vienna, Stephen toured Europe extensively in the 1990s including concerts in Vienna, Prague, and Ljubljana as well as London, Paris and Jerusalem. He made his London debut in 1988 when selected to appear for the Park Lane Group at the Purcell Room featuring works by Judith Weir and Tibbett as well as playing for Live Music Now! which led to performances throughout the UK.
His 2004 - 2005 series at the Warehouse, Waterloo, were described as "a highly enterprising and imaginative series” by Jeremy Siepmann, editor of PIANO magazine and received a recommendation in Time Out’s classical listings. Steven has worked with several composers in promoting contemporary music with a number of first performances and premiere recordings to his credit. His playing of the cycle 'Blue Dawn' concludes 'Spiritus', an album of music by Andrew Keeling, which also features the Hilliard Ensemble (recently issued on Spaceward Records).
Steven has taught at Westminster School and at Westminster Abbey Choir School for many years, as well as touring internationally as an examiner and adjudicator. As Head of Piano at Westminster, he pioneered PIANO FORUM, a performance platform which has sought to nurture a number of very talented award holders.
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