BIOGRAPHIES
NADIA HINSON (GRSM Hons, LRAM, LTCL, Royal Society of Musicians)
Nadia graduated from the Royal Academy of Music after having studied the violin with Manoug Parikian and the piano with Jean Harvey. She was awarded first prize for Aural studies and her quartet won the string chamber prize in her final year. Nadia was the featured soloist playing the Lark Ascending and Bach double violin concerto for the Benslow Trust at St. James’ Piccadilly having been awarded an instrument to continue her studies. Other concertos in her repertoire include performances of the Mendelssohn, Mozart no.3 and 4, Haydn in C, De Beriot, Viotti, and works by Beethoven and Finzi.
She began her career as a freelance violinist playing in many London based orchestras. As an accompanist to singers and instrumentalists, she met her musician husband Nigel and together they founded the Veloce Ensemble (string quartet and clarinet quintet) touring throughout Britain performing specially commissioned works for that genre. Appearances at festivals and stately homes inspired a regular concert series at Belvoir Castle and Holmepierrepont Hall. As a recitalist on violin and piano throughout the East Midlands, Nadia has been highlighted in festivals and BBC features locally.
She is also currently the owner and director of the Hinson School of Music in Nottingham, and is an International examiner for the ABRSM, a Jazz examiner for the ABRSM, an adjudicator for the British and International federation of Festivals, and a member of the Royal Society of Musicians.
Nadia has been a senior consultant for the LEAD Academy trust, involved in developing music departments in schools in Nottinghamshire, and leading workshops to encourage and involve as many youngsters as possible in experiencing music and the arts in large scale productions and showcase concerts. She has set up composition workshops to inspire children to explore feelings and ideas through music and is a mentor for the Trust to develop self-confidence and communication through learning and performance.
NIGEL HINSON (ARAM, MMUS, GRSM (Hons), FTCL, LRAM, ARCM, Royal Society of Musicians)
Nigel started playing the clarinet aged 11, taught by his father Roy Hinson. At 17 he joined the Junior Royal Artillery Band at Woolwich, later going on to study at the Royal Military School Of Music Kneller Hall where he was taught clarinet by Paul Harvey. After lessons with Alan Hacker he gained a scholarship audition at the Royal Academy Of Music London where he was taught by Georgina Dobree and Keith Puddy, where he won many prizes including the John Soloman Woodwind / Brass prize. He then gained a Master's Degree at Sheffield University in performance and composition under the supervision of Colin Lawson.
Nigel was invited to be a member of the Royal Society Of Musicians London in 1995 and in 2000, Nigel became an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) which is awarded to former students who have made a significant contribution to the music profession.
Nigel continued to play as a soloist and to record for the Veloce Classics label with Keith Puddy (Clarinet) and Malcolm Martineau (Piano), incorporating much of the clarinet repertoire. Nigel has had many clarinet works written for him including many by Paul Harvey, Paul Harris ( Encore published by Queen's Temple Publications QT 134, 2012) as well as, Ballad In Memory Of Shirley Horn by Richard Rodney Bennett (Novello NOV955735).
He is also a partner with his wife Nadia in a successful private musical school ' The Hinson School Of Music' catering for Clarinet, Saxophone, theory, Violin, Piano and composition from beginners to professionals.
Nigel is in demand as a soloist, chamber musician and as an adjudicator. He is also a regular soloist on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3 and is listed in the International Who's Who of Music and Musicians.
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He was inspired by the late Big Band Clarinettist Artie Shaw, and had a correspondence with him whilst at the Royal Academy. After his death in 2005 Nigel successfully acquired Artie Shaw's favourite Buffet clarinet that was hidden in his house, he used it for the later Gramercy Five recordings of 1953-54.
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Read more at www.nigelhinson.com
SOPHIE HINSON (MA, BMUS Hons, DIPRAM, LRAM, Royal Society of Musicians)
Sophie is an orchestral freelancer in London where she regularly performs and records with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and The English Chamber Orchestra. She has also performed at The Vogue World London show 2023 and in The West End Show run of Rebecca the musical. She was selected to perform Reynaldo Hahn's violin concerto with Southbank Sinfonia in 2022. Sophie was appointed leader of Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra for 2021, where she also performed the Dvorak Violin Concerto with the Orchestra. She has worked under the baton of conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Sakari Oramo, John Wilson, Paul Mann, Sir Edward Gardner, and the renowned film composer James Newton Howard.​
Sophie graduated from the Royal Academy of Music with a Master of the Art's Degree with Distinction in 2021, studying with Professor Philippe Honoré. Sophie was awarded a Diploma of The Royal Academy of Music for an outstanding performance in her Master's Degree in 2021, alongside the James Wright Award and the D M Lloyd Prize by the Royal Academy. Sophie previously graduated with a Bachelors of Music Degree with First Class Honours from The Royal Academy of Music in 2020 and was awarded an LRAM teaching diploma from the Royal Academy of Music in 2019. She was generously supported by The Royal Academy with a scholarship. She was also chosen to perform and record a new commission from composer Sadie Harrison to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Royal Academy of Music in 2021.​
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Sophie is a member of the award winning Odora Trio which was founded at The Royal Academy of Music in 2017. They won 1st Prize at The Paris International Music Competition 2024 and were also Platinum Prize Winners at The Saint-Saëns International Music competition in Decemeber 2023. They have also been prize winners at The Issac's and Pirani Piano Competition 2017, The Harold Craxton Chamber Music Prize 2020 and were semi-finalists at The St Martin's In The Field Chamber Competition 2020. They have toured around the UK and performed at venues such as St Martin's In The Fields, The Korean Culture Centre, St. Peter's Church Eaton Square, St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh, Elgar's Birthplace and the Hay-On-Wye music festival. They were also sponsored by the SPOFF foundation to take part in the Wye Valley summer residency in 2018. They released their debut album ‘Evergreen’ in December 2022 with the generous sponsorship from The Nimbus Foundation and The John Ireland Trust.
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