Chair of Trustees

Elizabeth Williams is from Sheffield. She trained and worked as a lawyer and is currently an education union officer, but is also a professional pianist, specialising in accompaniment, chamber music and teaching. Elizabeth completed her postgraduate musical studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, and previously studied with Benjamin Frith.

Over the course of her varied career, Elizabeth has also achieved distinctions in an MA Arts Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Employment Law. She worked for five years at the Royal College of Music in London, supporting the students there in developing their careers. She has lived in London, Berlin and Norfolk, where she continued to perform and teach, in addition to working in the Law.

Elizabeth now loves living in Cardiff and combines her union work with a busy musical career in addition to attempting to learn Welsh! She cares passionately about giving children and young people the opportunity to participate in music-making, and is delighted to be the Chair of Making Music, Changing Lives.

Patron

Lesley Hatfield leads a varied and distinguished musical life, combining her role as Leader of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales with chamber music, solo playing and teaching. Her wide ranging musical interests find her performing music from all eras and she has worked closely with many contemporary composers.

After graduating from Clare College, Cambridge, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music. During her early career, as a chamber musician and member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, she worked with Sandor Vegh and Nicholas Harnoncourt, both of whom had a lasting influence on her musical approach. She was co-Leader of the Northern Sinfonia and Leader of the Ulster Orchestra before taking up her current position.

Chamber music has always been an important part of Lesley’s musical life. She is a member of the highly acclaimed Gaudier Ensemble and is regularly invited to participate as a guest in a wide range of ensembles and chamber music festivals. She has been a regular invited performer at the International Musicians Seminar Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove since 1986.

She has appeared as guest Leader, soloist and director with many orchestras around the UK and in Europe, has recorded for Chandos and Naxos labels, and is regularly heard on BBC radio 3.

Lesley is much in demand as a teacher, and has a busy schedule of students at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She is actively involved as Patron of Making Music, Changing Lives.

In 2008 she was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, and in June 2020 was awarded a fellowship to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in recognition of her contribution to music in Wales.

Violin/Viola Teacher

David is a graduate of the Royal College of Music. Following studies there he joined the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. Since becoming freelance David has played with major British Orchestras and toured Japan and USA with the Academy of Ancient Music and other period instrument groups. He leads and directs the 18 Century Concert Orchestra, and in South Wales, Cambrensis Orchestra. At the Royal Shakespeare Company he has worked on Twelfth Night and Tempest. Film credits include ‘The Madness of King George’ and ‘Youth’.

David is a string coach for the London Schools Symphony Orchestra and has always been involved in teaching at all levels. He is in demand as a tutor and adjudicator.

Flute teacher

Gabriella Alberti is a flutist based in Cardiff, originating from Melbourne, Australia.

Gabriella graduated with a Distinction in Orchestral Masters from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Gabriella has worked as a freelance flutist with Welsh National Opera and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. She has also played Principal Flute with Ballet Cymru and Orchestra de Cymru.

In 2023, Gabriella was awarded First Prize in the All Flutes Plus Prize adjudicated by Veronika Klirova. This enabled her performance of William Alwyn’s Concerto for Flute and Eight Winds.

Gabriella is in the Bute Wind Quintet, who are enjoying their second consecutive year as Artists in Resident at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre.

Brass Teacher

In 2009, Helen gained a scholarship to study trumpet at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Whilst there, she studied with principal trumpet of Welsh National Opera, Dean Wright. She partook in masterclasses with Sergei Nakariakov, Phil Cobb, Niall Keatley, Andy Crowley, Mike Lovatt, Alistair Mackie, and Mnozil Brass. She was also lucky to be involved with various RWCMD/WNO side by side projects.

Since graduating from RWCMD in 2013 with First Class Honours, Helen has been working as a freelance trumpeter and teacher in South Wales.

Cello Teacher

James McBeth is a Welsh cellist who studied at both the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where he studied with Ursula Smith and Rosie Biss. He has also undertaken masterclasses with Rebecca Gilliver, Leonard Elschenbroich and Natalie Clein. 

A keen chamber musician, he has performed around the UK, Finland and Italy in various ensembles and worked alongside the Brodsky String Quartet during a week-long Shostakovich String Quartet Cycle at the Dartington Summer School. He currently performs in a duo with Belgian Pianist Matthias De Smet.

James is a keen educator, teaching and working as a tutor/mentor on various orchestral courses such as Six Counties and English Schools’ Orchestra. Recently he has lead cello workshops and supported local orchestras.