The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is delighted to announce the appointment of Alex Mitchell as Viola Section Leader and Flipe Dandalo as Double Bass player. Alex and Filipe will join the Orchestra ahead of the 2026–27 season, which begins in September.

Vanessa Reed, Chief Executive of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic said: "It is a pleasure to welcome Alex and Filipe to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic family. Both are exceptional musicians whose artistry, experience and passion will further strengthen our Orchestra as we look ahead to an exciting new season. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is recognised as one of the UK's leading orchestras, and this season will showcase the talent, energy and ambition that define our musicians. I look forward to seeing the fresh perspectives Alex and Filipe bring to audiences in Liverpool and beyond."  

Alex Mitchell said: "I'm so excited to be returning to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The Orchestra has always had a special place in my heart. My mum's side of the family is from Liverpool, and some of my earliest musical memories are of my grandparents taking me to concerts at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. I'm also a huge Beatles fan and a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, so it feels incredibly special to be joining the Orchestra in a city I already love."

Filipe Dandalo said: "I'm thrilled and honoured to be joining the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's double bass section. It's a privilege to become part of an orchestra that has inspired me since I first came to the UK to study. I'm excited to perform alongside such outstanding musicians and to join an organisation that is deeply valued by its community and has made such an important contribution to Liverpool's rich cultural life."

About the musicians:

Alex performs with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Northern Chamber Orchestra and Manchester Baroque. He has previously taught at the Royal Northern College of Music and regularly appears with ensembles including Manchester Collective and the Jess Gillam Ensemble.

A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Alex studied with leading viola teachers and won the College's Concerto Competition and the Paganini Prize (on viola), while also performing with the Zelkova String Quartet. Internationally, he was awarded fifth prize at the Tokyo International Viola Competition and third prize at the Beethoven International Viola Competition in Hradec.

Away from the concert platform, Alex is an enthusiastic gardener with a passion for growing fruit trees and perennial vegetables. One day, he hopes to establish his own tree nursery. 

Filipe began playing the double bass at the age of 13 in Osasco, Brazil, through a social programme providing free string tuition to children in the local community. Ensemble playing was central to his early musical training.

He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Jiří Hudec as an ABRSM Scholar before continuing his studies in Germany and Switzerland under Božo Paradžik, completing master's degrees at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and Hochschule Luzern. During this time, he received support from several prestigious Swiss scholarships.

In 2024, Filipe performed as a soloist with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra at KKL Luzern. He has also worked with leading orchestras across the UK and Europe, including the Hallé Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Bodensee Philharmonie, Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn, Academy of St Martin in the Fields and 12 Ensemble.

Most recently, Filipe was a member of Sinfonia Smith Square (formerly Southbank Sinfonia) and has appeared as a trial player with Opera North and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

The 2026-27 Season:

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's 2026–27 season opens on 4 September with a return to the BBC Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall. Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze leads a celebration of English music, featuring works by Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten alongside the world premiere of a new commission by North West composer Carmel Smickersgill, winner of Liverpool Philharmonic's Rushworth Composition Prize in 2018.

Manze then returns to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 17 September for the Opening Concert, conducting Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Elgar's Enigma Variations and Britten's Cello Symphony with acclaimed soloist Guy Johnston.

Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan begins his season with Mahler's monumental Resurrection Symphony. Renowned for his powerful, emotionally charged interpretations of Mahler's music, Hindoyan will lead the combined forces of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir in one of the orchestral repertoire's most thrilling and life-affirming works.

More information on the forthcoming season can be found here: Orchestra Season 2026/27