sarah freestone violin, violin electric, guitar, guitar bass, mandolin, ukulele, copyist morgensterns musicians diary service
Sarah Freestone
  

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  SARAH FREESTONE  (violin, violin electric, guitar, guitar bass, mandolin, ukulele, copyist) » 
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Biography
Sarah is a versatile performer who studied both Guitar and Violin as joint principal studies at the RAM, and her performing career has allowed her to switch with ease between the two instruments.

Since 1991 Sarah has been the director of the Lullingstone String Quartet which, as well as being a successful commercial quartet, also performs concerts and light music soirées around London and the South East, for which Sarah is also the compere.

She is also the Musical Director of the Gold And Silver Orchestra - now into it's 5th season - which has so far included traditional Viennese New Year concerts, The Magic of the Musicals and performances of works for String Orchestra. Aditi is Sarah's contemporary music ensemble which features the music of 20th and 21st century British composers.

Sarah works in a variety of musical genres as both a writer and performer, from classical music to jazz, rock bands to the West End. Her guitar and mandolin work has taken her to all kinds of venues, from folk clubs and rock venues across Europe and the US to performances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Royal Opera House, classical recitals and the West End. Recent shows on electric guitar include the UK tours of Jesus Christ Superstar and Blood Brothers as well as broadcasts for Radio 2 and Radio 3. Sarah has been in demand as a multi-instrumentalist recently playing violin, guitar and banjo for Sheffield Crucible's production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins and performing with the legendary Lee Hazlewood on electric violin, guitar, vocals and percussion at the South Bank's 2005 Meltdown Festival. In 2008 Sarah toured with Alison Moyet as her backing vocalist, violinist and guitarist.

In November 2005, Sarah made her acting debut as Katrin in the UK Premier of Arthur Miller's Playing for Time at the Salisbury Playhouse and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford.

Since 1993, Sarah has combined her performing career with teaching and conducting musical theatre (Sarah has played in or been Musical Director for over 160 productions) and is the first female conductor of the Dartford Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Thames Gateway.

Recent learning workincludes a project with composer Graham Fitkin for the 2010 Proms, Radio 3 Fusion Band projects for the BBCCO and the Concertlink programme for the LPO. Sarah is also a Music Mentor for Music For Youth.

As a composer, copyist and arranger, Sarah's arrangements have been from string quartet to big band and full orchestra. Clients include the Royal Opera House, BBC, ViVA Orchestra, Openwide International, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Ellie Jay, as well as string arrangements for several rock and pop albums. Sarah was also the arranger for the current West End and European tour of the Michael Jackson musical Thriller.

In December 2000, Sarah conducted one of her compositions at the Royal Albert Hall and wrote the score for BAFTA-winning scriptwriter Roy App's film (Common Ground). She is also the author of five guitar teaching books and one half of the Ancora flute and guitar duo whose debut CD Entrada was released last year.

Orchestral Work
Orchestras: BBC Concert Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, English National Ballet, English Pops Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, La Folia, Musical Associates (UK) Limited, National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Education Work: BBC Concert Orchestra Education, London Philharmonic Orchestra Education, Masterclass.

Sarah's orchestral work also includes Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, Kentish Opera, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Leading experience includes: Future Music Records Orchestra, Marcel Sinfonia, Dartford Symphony Orchestra and National Association of Youth Orchestras Orchestra.

Concertos and Recitals include: Bruch, Corelli, Bach Double, Mendelssohn, R. Vaughan Williams - Lark Ascending, all played at various venues including Fairfield Halls, St Martin In The Fields, The Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room and the Royal Festival Hall, and the Rodrigo Guitar Concerto 'Aranjuez and Fanatasia Para Un Gentilhombre' and Vivaldi Guitar Concerto.

Education
Sarah's graduate studies took place at the Royal Academy of Music (1989 - 1992), and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (1990 - 1991) Sarah was was joint study Violin and Classical Guitar. During this time Sarah gained the qualifications of G.R.S.M.(Hons.) and L.R.A.M. Prior to this, Sarah was a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal Academy of Music (1985 – 1989), and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (1986 - 1989).

Prizes and Awards

  • Royal Academy of Music Bursary for continued study with Carmel Kaine in Australia
  • Julian Bream Guitar Prize (winner)
  • Queensland Conservatorium of Music Guitar Prize (winner)
  • Tarrega International Guitar Competition (semi-finalist)

Teachers: Ita Herbert, Carmel Kaine (violin), and Michael Lewin, Tim Walker, Julian Byzantine (guitar). Sarah has also participated in guitar masterclasses with Julian Bream, John Williams and Ricardo Iznaelo.

Sarah's web links
www.sarahfreestone.com
www.sarahfreestone.com/ancora.php

Sarah joined Morgensterns in February 2002

Sarah's web profile was last updated 12th May 2012