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Martin Smith – Violin

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

Peter Francomb – Principal Horn

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

Martin Smith – Violin

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

Peter Francomb – Principal Horn

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

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Martin Smith – Violin

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

Martin Smith was an Exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music Junior Department and a scholarship winner at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied violin with Lionel Bentley and Manoug Parikian. He subsequently studied further with Nicholas Roth and the renowned Russian virtuoso Grigori Zhislin. For some years he was a member of the Duke String Quartet, with whom he appeared throughout Britain and Europe, and he has also appeared with the Allegri and Bridge Quartets. He currently performs with the Ellerdale Piano Trio, which he founded in 1992, and with the Primavera Ensemble.

Martin first played with the LMP in 1988, and joined the orchestra a year later. From the outset he has been involved with the orchestra’s educational and outreach work, and particularly relishes coaching young string players. As a result he has been a key player (no pun intended) in the LMP’s many Side-By-Side projects. Away from the LMP Martin has worked with most of the UK’s leading chamber orchestras, such as the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra. He also leads New London Sinfonia and Orchestra Nova, and has appeared as guest leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, Brunel Ensemble and London Concertante. He has made solo appearances around the UK and also in France, Germany, Holland and the United States, many as leader of the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra, which he led and directed for over ten years.

Martin is also active as a conductor. He has appeared with the London Mozart Players, and has led orchestral workshops for them and for ESTA. He has been conductor and artistic director of Enfield Chamber Orchestra since 2008, and of the Richmond Orchestra since 2016, and has also worked with various other orchestras in the south of England.

Martin’s hobbies include Roman roads, the outdoors in general, and the avoidance of housework. He lives in St. Albans with his solicitor wife Margaret, and hopes one day to understand his daughters.

Peter Francomb – Principal Horn

Friday, 1 December, 2017/in Galleries /by LMP

Peter Francomb began playing the horn at the age of ten. His early studies were in Eastbourne with Jane Allen, and in London with Ifor James and Ron Harris. Early performing experience was gained with the Brighton Youth Orchestra. In 1974, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Douglas Moore. In 1976 at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras, he won the Van Cliburn Foundation Scholarship, which funded a further year’s tuition with David Cripps and Tony Halstead at the Guildhall School of Music. On leaving college, he worked as guest principal horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In the field of chamber music, he has worked with the Nash and Prometheus Ensembles and since 1985 has been a member of the Albion Ensemble.

In 1988 he was invited to become the principal horn of Royal Northern Sinfonia and in 2018 he will celebrate 30 years as principal horn. During his time in Newcastle/Gateshead, he has played a large part of the horn solo repertoire. In 1992 he was invited to perform Giovanni Punto’s 5^th horn concerto at the International Horn Convention in Manchester, and he subsequently recorded this and three other concertos for Pan Classics with Royal Northern Sinfonia. In 2016, Peter was invited to become principal horn of the London Mozart Players and he now combines these duties with Royal Northern Sinfonia. In Spring 2016, Peter performed Mozart’s 2nd horn concerto with LMP at St. John’s Smith Square. This April, Peter performed Strauss 1st horn concerto with Thomas Zehetmair conducting, at Sage Gateshead, repeated at Keswick in October. Peter continues to be invited as guest principal with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, The Philharmonia, The RSNO, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and Opera North.