About The Bristol String Quartet

Andrew Barrington

Violin

Andrew is the founder and director of the quartet. He studied at Trinity College of Music, London, and at the Royal Welsh College of Music, Cardiff.
As a freelance violinist he has played for countless theatre shows across the region, recorded for Europe-wide television adverts including the North Face, and for bands including Dr Hook.
Andrew is also the owner of JPB Music, owner of Swift Strings, and a trustee of Weston Education Trust.

Tamsin Barrington

Violin

Tamsin studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music with Peter Hanson and Iwona Boesche, and in Australia with Elizabeth Holliwell. Whilst studying Tamsin led the Bute String Quartet and played with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on a placement scheme for two years. Since graduating she has freelanced for many orchestras, including: British Sinfonietta, Orchestra West, Ensemble Inspirita, The Bristol Orchestra (leader), Clevedon Chamber Orchestra (leader), Dartington Festival Orchestra and numerous theatre orchestras. She also teaches at many schools across Somerset and for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Centre for Young Musicians, Taunton).

Richard Couldridge

Violin

Richard studied at Trinity College of Music, London and graduated with an honours degree in 1998.
As a player, Richard has toured extensively, playing in many of the major concert venues in Europe as well as the U.S.A. and Japan. He has also recorded in a variety of styles (classical, jazz, metal...!) for a number of different labels, and for many corporate videos, adverts and independent films.
Richard plays regularly for weddings and shows, as well as pursuing a busy teaching career which has seen pupils go right through from absolute beginner to entering music conservatoires and university to study music.

Claire Goldie

Violin

Claire studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music. Since graduating she has played with numerous orchestras and recorded with a wide range of artists.
She has played across the country in prestigious venues including the Albert Hall. Previous clients have including King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Ian Vorley

Violin/Viola

Ian has performed with many high profile musicians, including Peter Gabriel, The Heavy, Newton Faulkner & Beth Porter. He also writes and performs with the Red Carousel Quartet.
Ian has played with many orchestras including Dartington Festival Orchestra and the Paradisal Players Orchestra.

Chris Bull

Viola/Violin

Chris studied viola and music education at Cambridge University and led the viola section for Somerset Chamber Orchestra for several years. Since then she has built up a large private teaching practice, worked at Wells Cathedral School and taught class music at Bridgwater College. She has been a freelance musician for numerous theatre shows and orchestras, playing both viola and violin. With the quartet she has accompanied Stephen Mangan and Louise Delamere and recorded with many artists, including Dr. Hook. Chris has also written many of the quartet's arrangements.

Sue Lord

Viola/Violin

Sue studied at Bath Spa University, later completing a PGDip at the RWCMD in Cardiff.
She has recorded on award winning albums including Jim Moray's 'Low Culture'. She has also recorded with Newton Faulkner, The Heavy, Beth Porter and the Availables, Jackie Oates, IKO and Daisy Chapman amongst others. Her work with The Heavy has been used for Film Trailers (including The Dallas Buyers Club and Quentin Tarentino's The Hateful Eight) and several TV adverts. Other recording credits include Public Service Broadcasting, This Is The Kit, Rose Kemp and Crippled Black Pheonix. TV credits include adverts for the BBC and Dr Who.

Rachel Wilks

Viola/Violin

Rachel studied Viola at Trinity College of Music, London. Freelance work has taken her throughout the UK with such orchestras as the Welsh National Orchestra, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, English String Orchestra, and Bath Opera. She has also participated in numerous recordings for TV, and a season in Les Miserables at the Bristol Hippodrome. Rachel regularly contributes to The Bristol String Quartet.

Jo Lewis

Cello

Jo has worked with a diverse range of artists, including with Claire Martin OBE on two albums. Other highlights have included performing at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival and Ronnie Scotts.
She has recorded with a large number of bands including The Divine Comedy and the legendary John Martyn, and is Orchestral Manager for Wedmore Opera.

Kate Robey

Cello

Kate studied at Bath Spa University with Ruth Zagni, and at the Royal Welsh College of Music with Richard May. Kate now works as a freelance cellist, performing in local orchestras and ensembles including Bath Philharmonia. She has also toured China with the London-based Amadeus Orchestra. As a session musician, Kate has worked with bands including Kula Shaker and performs regularly with Bristol-based singer/songwriter Phil King. Kate is also a pianist, and has recorded for an ITV production of Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’. An experienced accompanist, she works at all levels from grade exams to recitals.

Chris Sampson

Cello

Since graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music Chris Sampson now works as a freelance cellist performing regularly with orchestras and chamber ensembles around the South-West which has included performing with Craig Ogden and Freddy Kempf for broadcast on Radio 3, and working with conductors such as Yan Pascal Tortelier and Mark Elder in venues including the Royal Albert Hall.
He is a regular soloist with the Taunton Sinfonietta and he conducts and directs the 'Mighty Orchestra' initiative. He has been a tutor for the Dartington Summer School and the South West Music School and in his spare time plays a 5-string electric cello and directs a gospel choir.

Sam Warner

Cello

Since completing his studies in Cardiff where he received the Neville John string prize at graduation for outstanding contribution to orchestral playing and ensembles, and achieving the highest public recital grade for the academic year, Sam has since built up a varied portfolio career in the South West dividing his time between performing, teaching, recording, conducting, accompanying and examining. Sam’s musical expertise as a multi instrumentalist spans classical (early music to post-tonal), folk, brass band, jazz, choral, and musical theatre.

The players at events may vary from the musicians shown above. These musicians have all played with the Bristol String Quartet on numerous occasions, so our high standard of performance will not be affected.