BRENDA A. STEWART, Mus.B. LRAM, ARAM Born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Brenda Stewart began learning the violin at the age of 11, changing to viola 5 years later. She read music at Manchester University, studying viola with Roger Bigley, violist of the Lindsay String Quartet and did post-graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music with John White where she won two chamber music prizes and was awarded the Charles Black Scholarship. In 1999, she was awarded an Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music. Violist of the Bingham String Quartet since its formation in 1985, she has established a reputation for richness of tone and musicality. The quartet has a fine reputation for interpretation of the classical repertoire and a fresh and exciting approach to new music. In addition to concert performances and recordings, the group is active in education, including a recent five year residency at Radley College, Abingdon, and annual chamber music courses in Shropshire, Norfolk and at Benslow Music Trust.

Besides her quartet commitments, Brenda has been active as a freelance orchestral player, performing with English Sinfonia (Principal and co-principal), London Festival Orchestra (co-principal) and the Sarum Chamber Orchestra (co-principal). She has also played for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (guest principal), Music Projects, London, New Sadlers Wells Opera, D'oyly Carte, and London City Ballet. She has given concerto performances with London String Soloists and the Lecosaldi Ensemble. From 1991 to 2000 Brenda was a Professor at the Junior Royal Academy of Music teaching viola and chamber music and more recently taught violin and viola at Quenswood School, Potters Bar. Between 1990 and 2001 she was on the staff of the string workshop at the Mary Ward Centre, London, teaching beginner violin and chamber. In 1999 she was invited to join the staff at Radley College, Abingdon, where she is Head of Strings, teaching violin and viola and chamber music, and coordinating string department activities and she teaches viola at the Perse School, Cambridge. In 2001 she became a tutor on the NLMS summer school. Brenda combines her performing and teaching commitments with her duties as a Licensed Lay-minister for the Church of England in her local parishes and has just embarked on ordination training with the Eastern Region Ministry Course.