Our Musicians
All our musicians are graduates from music conservertoires, and all have active freelance performing careers, regularly playing for orchestras such as The Halle, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata and Opera North.
Helen Tonge - Violin / Viola
Helen studied at Manchester University and the RNCM and, as a member of the Rivoli Quartet,
completed a Masters in String Quartet Performance at Sheffield University with Peter Cropper of the Lindsays.
Aside from chamber music playing, she works with various orchestras including Skipton Camerata, Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, The Brigantes and the Novello Orchestra. She is leader of the New Classical Players and Cheshire Sinfonia and has guest-led Blackburn, Wilmslow and Stockport Symphony Orchestras.
Solo performances have included the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Tonbridge Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Lark Ascending With Cheshire Sinfonia, as well as duo work with composer-pianist Richard Whalley, with whom she has premiered ‘Gorgon’s Head’ by Manchester–based composer Camden Reeves, and ‘Limp’ by Tom Coult.
Alongside her performing career, Helen teaches violin at Bolton School and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, as well as giving private tuition in Sale where she lives with her husband and two young children.
Liz Lundie - Violin / Viola
Liz grew up in Bolton and graduated from the RNCM in 2007. Since then she has enjoyed an active freelance playing career, regularly performing with numerous professional orchestras and bands around the UK and Ireland.
She is currently very much in demand as a recording artist, pit musician and freelance orchestral player. Solo performances have included the Bach E Major Concerto, The Lark Ascending and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Liz founded the Rondino String Quartet in 2012.
Liz also performs as a soloist for weddings and solo recitals. She is also the proud owner of one husband and 4 rescue cats.
Danny Norbury - Cello
Danny studied at the RNCM and enjoys a busy career as a freelance player and teacher. He combines this with occasional composition, some of which have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
As well as creating numerous recording projects with fellow musicians at home and abroad, he has also written several solo works, and released several albums.
When not working he enjoys cooking, preferably accompanied by a large glass of red wine.
Kathleen Ord - Violin / Viola
Cumbrian-born multi-instrumentalist Kathleen began learning music at an early age, with a strong background in traditional folk. She went on to study violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, and now has a blossoming reputation as one of this country’s most versatile session musicians, having toured and recorded extensively throughout the UK and beyond.
As violinist and vocalist, she is known for her work with BBC Folk Award winners The Unthanks, Simply Dylan, The Horse Puppets, and many more. She regularly collaborates with Haystack Records (folk & trad. based label) and is very much in demand writing string arrangements for studio recordings.
A true music enthusiast, Kathleen enjoys performing in a wide variety of musical settings, as comfortable playing with an orchestra or string quartet as she is singing in a folk club.
In her free time she is a keen yogi, loves to bake and knit, and adores snuggling up with her cat, Snowy.
Graham Morris - Cello
Graham grew up in Birmingham, but has lived in Manchester since studying at the RNCM. He is a member of Manchester Camerata, performing with them in a wide variety of concerts, tours and recordings, and he also freelances regularly with a number of other orchestras across the North West and further afield.
As a soloist, he has performed many concertos with amateur orchestras all over the country, and also works with people of all ages both as a cello teacher and making music with people living with dementia.
Despina Reid - Violin
Originating from Bucharest, Romania, Despina was born and raised in a musical family.
Since graduating from the RNCM in 2007, Despina settled in Manchester and enjoys performing both in the UK and abroad, taking part in various orchestral, chamber and solo projects, including session work with AoReA Music.
She has also worked and toured with the National Symphony Orchestra and played as a guest principal with the Darwin Ensemble and Baroque in the North.
Gaynor Sutcliffe - Violin / Viola
After graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music in 2002 Gaynor has to date enjoyed a varied career as a musician in all different styles and genres from classical to pop and folk to jazz/swing.
As well as being a regular member of Rondino Strings and having a passion for chamber and orchestral music, she has also performed with various orchestras such as the Halle, Liverpool Philharmonic and Lancashire Sinfonietta in venues such as London Barbican theatre, Manchester's Bridgewater Hall and various other arenas, theatres and iconic buildings throughout the UK and Europe.
Gaynor also plays with the well known Swing Commanders as a jazz musician and fronts her own Western Valley Swing band as a multi instrumentalist and singer.
As well as being a mum to 2 girls and a qualified teacher of dance she graduated as a fitness instructor 10 years ago and enjoys fell running with her collie, Merlin.