Page 395 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

26 April 2024

News
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra bids

farewell to retiring string players and

welcomes new violin appointments

26 APRIL 2024
The long-standing retiring members have a combined total of 160 years performing with the
orchestra

Clockwise from top left: violist Richard Wallace, violinist Alex Marks, oboist Jonathan Small, violist
Rob Shepley, violinist Sophie McQueen, percussionist Matthew Brett and violinist Joana Rodrigues.
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The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra bids farewell to long-standing string players this year,
as it announces the newly appointed members ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The retiring string players are principal viola Rob Shepley, who joined the orchestra in 1984;
section player viola Richard Wallace, who joined the orchestra in 1979; and section player first
violin Alex Marks, who joined the orchestra in 1985.

The new string players joining the orchestra are Sophie McQueen as associate principal second
violin no.2 and Joana Rodrigues as section player second violin.

McQueen studied jointly at the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University with
Richard Deakin and the Royal Academy of Music with Clio Gould. She is a member of Manchester
Camerata and has worked with the Scottish Ensemble, Academy of St. Martin-In-The-Fields,
Berkeley Ensemble, London Contemporary Orchestra and London Sinfonietta.