B i o g r a p h y

Gina McCormack is one of Britain’s leading violinists and chamber musicians, switching effortlessly between concertos, recitals, quartet-playing and orchestral leading. Most recently Gina spent two years leading the Brodsky Quartet, her first concert with the group being at Sydney Opera House. Before that she spent 13 years as leader of the Sorrel Quartet, making frequent BBC Radio 3 broadcasts as well as recording twelve CD’s for the Chandos label. Her long-standing duo with pianist Nigel Clayton performs regularly throughout the UK and abroad, and has been a constant throughout her career. A love of dance has also led to a long collaboration with choreographer Matthew Bourne whose orchestra she leads. Gina teaches violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, and gives regular masterclasses at home and abroad.

Nigel Clayton studied with Stephen Savage and Angus Morrison at the Royal College of Music London, where he won prizes in every category of piano performance and was awarded the College’s yearly prize for his Bachelor of Music Degree. Whilst there, a particular interest in chamber music and accompanying developed and was further encouraged by international prizes from competitions in London, New York (Concert Artist Guild) and from the English Speaking Union. Since then his worldwide travel has included four major tours of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan with Indian cellist Anup Kumar Biswas, tours of the Middle East and America with Wissam Boustany, of Scandinavia with Gerard LeFeuvre and several throughout Europe; he has also appeared at most of the music clubs and festivals in the UK, at the BBC’s radio network, the Wigmore hall, the South Bank Centre, as well as longstanding partnerships with Gina McCormack, Michael Cox, the Bingham Quartets among others.  He has performed many times in Japan and since 2013 has made regular recital and lecture tours of Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

 Nigel is a piano professor and Art of Teaching lecturer at the Royal College of Music. For his services in the musical world Nigel was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Music (FRCM) presented by HRH Prince of Wales in 2017. (www.nigelclayton.com)