Matthew Howells, flute, is a Masters graduate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland after receiving a scholarship in 2012 to study there with Katherine Bryan (Principal, Royal Scottish National Orchestra), Richard Blake (Principal, Scottish Opera) and Janet Richardson (Piccolo, RSNO). Previously, Matthew studied at the University of Manchester and Chetham’s School of Music where he studied with Linda Verrier and Richard Davis (BBC Philharmonic).
Whilst at Chetham’s, Matthew played principal flute in the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra allowing him to perform at prestigious music venues such as the Bridgewater Hall and Cadogan Hall. He also played in a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 for Chetham’s 40th Anniversary Concert. At the end of his final year, he was awarded the Francis Willink Memorial Prize for his flute studies.
Whilst in Manchester, Matthew performed Schwertsik’s Instant Music as a concerto soloist with the University Chamber Ensemble and since then, he has performed three further concerti, two at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a premiere of a new work with the Edinburgh Contemporary Ensemble.
Since graduating, Matthew has performed with orchestras across the UK including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, including a tour to India in 2014. Matthew has also appeared as a soloist on BBC’s Songs of Praise in 2015. More recently, he has also taken up a regular teaching position at Erskine Stewart’s Melville School in Edinburgh, alongside private tuition in Glasgow.
He also has a passion for musical theatre and works regularly in the Glasgow scene as a performer as well as a musical director for companies including Acquire: A Creative Choral Ensemble, Glasgow Music Theatre and Glasgow Live Productions.
Irena Klimach, oboe, is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she received her MMus, having previously been awarded a 1st Class BMus degree from the Royal Northern College of Music. Whilst at the RCS, Irena won both the Governor’s Solo Recital Prize for Woodwind and the Concerto Competition, as well as receiving critical acclaim in the Glasgow Herald for her solo performance of the James Macmillan In Angustiis II, which was described as “an emotional arrow straight to the heart”. Irena finished her studies at the RCS with a performance of the Martinů Oboe Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO), and was invited back to perform the Strauss Oboe Concerto with the RCS Symphony Orchestra. As well as being a keen chamber musician, Irena loves playing in orchestras and freelances with the RSNO, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet. Irena also loves working with young people and teaches in North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Council in addition to tutoring at the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.
Calum Robertson is an Edinburgh-based clarinettist, organist, and choral conductor. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he freelances with various orchestras including Opera North, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and BBC Philharmonic. He is also a member of the soprano and clarinet duo with Sally Carr known as The White Rose Ensemble whose primary aim is to promote Scottish classical music. He has won numerous awards including TheHarriet Cohen Memorial Award which allowed him to commission a new work for clarinet and choir by Scottish composer Claire McCue, who set the poem Kneeling by Welsh poet and priest, R.S.Thomas. As organist, Calum was appointed Organ Scholar in 2007 and then Assistant Director of Music at Old Saint Paul’s in 2013. Since September 2018 he has been director of The Edinburgh University Singers. Calum has commissioned and premiered many works including, Un Petit Psaultier by Sheena Phillips, ‘What’s for you’ by Jennifer Martin, Recollections by John Hearne, Reed Talk and Five Soutar Songs by Rory Boyle.
Victoria López started learning bassoon at the age of eight, completing a total of nine years of Juniors Conservatoire in her hometown of Ávila in Spain. At 17, she moved to Cardiff to study her Bachelors in bassoon at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she graduated in July 2015. She then moved to Glasgow where she completed a Masters Degree in performance at the RCS graduating in July 2017.
Victoria has performed with many orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, HM Royal Marines Band and Opra Cymru. She also performs regularly as part of two chamber music ensembles, Sirocco Winds and Genovia Quartet.
Aside from performing, Victoria enjoys sharing her passion for music with children so that she can inspire them the way she was inspired when she was young. She started her teaching journey in 2018, working as a bassoon tutor for Queen Victoria School (Dunblane). She is currently teaching for Renfrewshire Music Services, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (deputy bassoon tutor at the juniors department) and for Sistema Scotland, as the Double Reed instructor of Big Noise Raploch (Stirling). Victoria also enjoys participating in a lot of musical outreach and community projects with Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
Peter McNeill, french horn, grew up in a musical family on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and later become a junior student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He subsequently gained a place to study full time and went on to win various recital and chamber music prizes, graduating with a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in 2020. Peter also took part in an Erasmus exchange at the Weimar Collegeof Music, Germany, studying with Jörg Brückner, and now undertakes further study with Markus Maskuniitty at the Hanover College of Music, Media and the Arts. From 2024 to 2026 he will hold the horn academy position with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, where he is a regular guest and takes part in many projects and tours with the orchestra. Solo performances have included winning 1st Prize in the Yamaha Dublin Brass Week Concerto Competition, and invitations to give recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival and the University of Aberdeen. As an orchestral musician, Peter has frequently guested with ensembles such as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, and was part of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s Experience scheme. With a keen interest in chamber music, alongside Sirocco Winds, he founded brass trio Triquetra Brass and regularly performs recitals with both across the UK.
Performances
7.30pm, Sunday 25 October 2026: Newton Stewart and District Music Society
7.30pm, Saturday 13 March 2027: Cotswolds
either 7.30pm Thursday 16 December 2027 or 3pm, Saturday 15 January 2028: Music in Peebles
7.30pm, Thursday 18 December 2025: Eastgate Theatre, Peebles
7.30pm, Saturday 15 November 2025, Music in Ayr
7.30pm, Saturday 8 November 2025, Inverurie Music
7.30pm, Thursday 6 November 2025, Orkney Arts Society
7.30pm, Wednesday 5 November, Thurso West Church
7.30pm, Saturday 2 November 2024, Keswick Music Society
7.30pm, Tuesday 29 October 2024, Lanark Memorial Hall, A Night at the Opera
7.30pm, Friday 25 October 2024, MacArts, Galashiels, A Night at the Opera
7.30pm, Thursday 24 October 2024, North Esk, Musselburgh, A Night at the Opera
7.30pm, Sunday 13 October 2024, Crail Community Hall, A Night at the Opera
1pm, Saturday 23 March 2024, Spire concert series, Glasgow
2.30pm, Sunday 25 February 2024, Biggar Municipal Hall
7.30pm, Tuesday 13 February 2024, Cockermouth
morning and afternoon, Thursday 12 October 2023, Music in Lanark education workshops
2.30pm, Thursday 17 August 2023, Ross Priory (private event)
7.30pm, Friday 7 July 2023, Grange over Sands and District Concert Club, Victoria Hall, Main Street, Grange over Sands, Cumbria: morning workshops, evening concert
Past Performances
St Boswells, Spire concert series in Glasgow, Dumfries, Garnethill, Bearsden, Oban, Catstrand, Ross Priory, Royal Faculty of Procurators Glasgow concert series, Music in Paxton, National Trust for Scotland cruises, Balerno, Dunfermline, Wigtown, Lake District Summer Music, Cumbria, Edinburgh, St Conan’s, Juniper Green, Westbourne Music Society, Kirkharle, Gatehouse of Fleet, Falkirk, Bute, Ayr, Dunoon, Crieff, Dollar, Stranraer, Thirsk, West Kilbride
