Instrumental and vocal teacher profiles

Alfia Nakipbekova vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Alfia is looking to the left of the frame and smiling.

Alfia Nakipbekova – Cello

Alfia is an internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician and pedagogue. She is Professor in Classical Contemporary Performance at Leeds Conservatoire. Alfia also teaches at The Guildhall School of Music, London. Her interests encompass cello technique and interpretation of cello works from the romantic, classical, baroque and contemporary repertoire.

Amanda Crawley – Voice

Based in York, Amanda enjoys a flourishing singing, teaching and coaching career, giving recitals and voice workshops. Her repertoire covers all eras and styles and is the vocal tutor for Musical Theatre at York College. Amanda is currently Music Director of three choirs, two of which she founded, and has a thriving private practice.

Anthony Brown vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. The image is black and white and Anthony is facing to the left holding his saxophone.

Anthony Brown – Saxophone

Anthony graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music with an International Artist Diploma in chamber music and a First Class Honours degree, attaining full marks in his final recital, and has performed extensively throughout the UK. He has also won awards from the likes of The Worshipful Company of Musicians, the Tillett Trust, Park Lane Group and Making Music.

Three screens in the School of Music attached to the wall reading 'Welcome to the School of Music, University of Leeds'.

Austin Gunn – Voice

Austin has performed many roles with companies including English National Opera, Scottish Opera, and the Musica Na Fabrica Festival in Portugal. He has appeared in concert in locations throughout the world and the UK in oratorio and recital. Austin is Professor of singing at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London and visiting teacher of singing at Leeds and Durham universities.

Helen Shilitto vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Helen is looking directly at the camera and smiling and stands in front of a green natural background which is out of focus.

Helen Shillito – French horn

As a freelance musician Helen has played modern horn regularly with various orchestras including the BBC Symphony, Northern Ballet, and the Scottish Opera. Period ensembles and orchestras have included Concerto Copenhagen, as well as the Gabrieli Consort with whom she has made several recordings and Proms appearances.

Jakob Fichert vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Jakob is looking directly at the camera and smiling. He stands against a white background.

Jakob Fichert – Piano

Jakob is a pianist with an international profile. He has repeatedly performed in prestigious venues and festivals and has recorded for Naxos, Toccata Classics, Divine Arts and Resonus Classics to great critical acclaim both as a soloist and collaborating artist. His concerts have taken him all over the world to countries in the Far East, South America and Europe. Jakob has given numerous master classes for music specialist schools, conservatoires and universities in the UK, China and Mexico and holds the position of Principal Lecturer in Piano at Leeds Conservatoire.

James Mainwaring vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. James is playing his saxophone and wears a shirt with a dark blazer. The image is taken from the side and the background is black.

James Mainwaring – Saxophone

Saxophonist and composer James Mainwaring has been recognised both individually, as a sideman and for his work with Roller Trio. Additionally, James explores performing solo with saxophone and electronics, including performances at Jazz in the Round and Kings Place as part of London Jazz Festival. James is currently signed to Edition Records and alongside his performance career, is a senior lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire.

Jenny Hobbins – Piano

Jenny began her career in Newcastle, where she played for and regularly coached Newcastle, Northumbria and Sunderland University students and established performing partnerships with Iona Brown (Principal of Royal Northern Sinfonia) and the international bass singer Graeme Danby, among others. Jenny has developed freelance career of playing and teaching. Alongside her work at the University, Jenny regularly works with Hallé choirs and also teaches and coaches at Leeds Conservatoire.

Jeremy Davis vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Jeremy looks to the left of the frame and the image is taken in black and white.

Jeremy Davis – Piano

Jeremy has worked extensively in opera, ballet, musical theatre and contemporary dance, collaborating with renowned conductors and choreographers as soloist and repetiteur at the London Festival Ballet, Chelsea Opera, and Holland Park Opera. His experience as a musician is wide ranging, with specialist areas in theatre music, 20th Century chamber music, British music for violin and piano, and 17th Century French repertoire for bass violin.

Jill Crossland vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Jill is looking directly at the camera and smiling, she stands in front of a brick wall that has been painted green.

Jill Crossland – Piano

Jill pursues an active concert and recording career. Jill has played regularly at South Bank and Wigmore Hall in London, and has also appeared at other locations including Cadogan, Bridgewater and Fairfield Halls, St George’s Bristol, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Vienna Musikverein, National Concert Hall, Dublin and Sage Gateshead. Jill’s radio and TV broadcasts include live and recorded on BBC Radios 3 and 4 and the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Jill’s recordings include the Bach Goldberg Variations (Warner Classics), and works by Bach, Handel, Scarlatti and Mozart.

Michael Woodhead – Trumpet

Michael studied at the Royal Northern College of Music as a trumpet student of Cecil Kidd. There followed a busy freelance period of work with the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras, as well as serving as Principal Trumpet with the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. Michael was invited to join the Orchestra of Opera North at its inception where he remains today. As a teacher, Michael has taught in the Music Department at the University of Leeds for over 25 years, a role which he currently shares with the University of Huddersfield.

Panos Kotsiopoulos vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Panos is playing bass guitar and is looking to the bottom right of the frame. The image has been taken in black and white.

Panos Kotsiopoulos – Bass guitar

Panos is a Leeds-based musician and educator. For more than 25 years he has been experimenting with the bass guitar and a variety of other stringed instruments. He has been focusing on jazz, with strong foundations and influences from classical music, popular music genres (surf rock, pop, electronic). He specialises in classical and modern music theory, ear training, choir singing, polyrhythms, solo performance, composition and approaches on improvisation.

Philip Voldman vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Philip looks directly at the camera and is smiling.

Philip Voldman – Piano

Originally from New York, Philip attended LaGuardia HS of Music and Art and Performing Arts (FAME). He then trained at the Royal College of Music and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he was appointed Repetiteur Fellow. Philip also completed a year at the National Opera Studio, London. From October 2015 to May 2016, he was Scottish Opera Emerging Artist – Repetiteur and Assistant Conductor supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Grant for Repetiteurs and was also on the music staff at Opera North (2016/17 Season). Since 2020, Philip has been working with students at the RNCM, Leeds University and Leeds Conservatoire.

Ralph Dawson – Violin

Ralph studied the violin at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, at London University and was a member of the Ulster Orchestra (2 years) and The Orchestra of Opera North (5 years). For the last two decades he has enjoyed a career as a freelance musician, working with most professional Orchestras in the North, and a huge variety of other ensembles and artists - from Bach Passions with the Northern Sinfonia, to backing Led Zeppelin on tour and playing Strauss Waltzes around Europe.

Rob Burtenshaw vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Rob is playing the trombone and the image is taken side on. Rob is to the left of the frame with a colleague to the right also playing an instrument.

Rob Burtenshaw – Trombone

In 1970, Rob went to Chetham’s, where he was taught by Peter Leary. He then went on to the Royal College of Music as an Exhibitioner and was taught by Arthur Wilson. In 1978 he joined the newly formed orchestra of Opera North and became the sub-principal trombone, staying for 43 years. During this time Rob also freelanced with RLPO, BBC Phil, Halle, CBSO, Welsh Opera, LSO, and the RPO. He played in the Proms with the BBC Phil, LSO and RPO and recorded Gabrielli with the LSO Brass.

Robin Hill vocal and instrumental teacher in the School of Music. Robin is playing guitar and looks to the bottom right of the frame. The image is made up of different neutral tones.

Robin Hill – Guitar

Robin's career has included many years of international performances, albums released through prestigious labels such as Teldec Classics and Decca and published classical guitar books via Mel Bay. He has toured internationally with the Hill/Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo, making their acclaimed debut at London's Wigmore Hall and many major venues worldwide, alongside numerous masterclasses and workshops. He has performed with orchestras and artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and BBC Philharmonic.

Tim Carter – Drum kit

Tim is a drummer, guitarist and educator based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Tim studied at Leeds College of Music with some of the finest musicians in the country where he continues to be involved as a visiting artist. He has worked with the Hammond Organ Quartet ‘North South’ who have appeared at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and the Vortex in London. Over the last decade Tim has regularly worked with vocal artist Kate Peters touring parts of Scotland and most recently performing in a sellout showcase featuring the music of Ella Fitzgerald.