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Neil McTaggart

  NEIL MCTAGGART  (violin) » 

Biography
Neil is a member of the Solaris Quartet and he has performed throughout Britain and Europe with them. The quartet have made several South Bank appearances and have a successful residency at the London College of Music. The residency involves Neil as both performer and teacher, coaching chamber ensembles and presenting composers' workshops.

Neil enjoys sharing his love of music with those who rarely have access to it. As participants in the Live Music Now scheme! the Solaris Quartet have played in almost every type of venue, from schools to Broadmoor hospital.

Neil is a violinist of great versatility, and is keen to explore different genres of music. He has worked with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra; the New Mozart Orchestra (principal second violin); the New Westbrook Orchestra (featured on BBC Radio's "Performance on Three"); the Irish Band Broderick, with Luke Daniels; the Locrian Ensemble; the Bennelong Ensemble; Ensemble Del Vero and several West End shows including "Phantom of the Opera".

Neil's solo appearances include concertos with the Tempest Chamber Orchestra, Essex Youth Orchestra, Wycombe Camerata and St. John's Chamber Orchestra.

The coming year sees Neil busy recording for film and television with Solaris, and working on an album of music from Jewish composers interred during World War Two. By special government invitation, Neil and his fellow quartet members Mark Wilson (violin), Morgan Goff (viola) and Nicholas Allen (cello), will embark on a month long tour of China, giving concerts and masterclasses in Beijing and the provinces.

Orchestral Work
Orchestras: Belmont Ensemble of London, Birmingham Opera Company, Chamber Orchestra of Anglia, Chameleon Arts Orchestra, City of Oxford Orchestra, English Classical Players, Haverhill Sinfonia, Locrian Ensemble, London Musical Arts Orchestra (LMA Orchestra), National Symphony Orchestra, New Mozart Orchestra, Symphonia Academica, The Opera Group. Shows: Phantom of The Opera, Wicked. Sessions: Justin Pearson, Roz Colls.

Education
Neil's graduate studies took place at Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Teachers: Marianne Olyver, Dona Lee Croft, Bela Katona (Purcell School), Detlef Hahn (Guildhall School of Music).

Neil joined Morgensterns in September 2002

Neil's web profile was last updated 19th May 2012