Meet the 24/25 Fellowship Musicians

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Fellowship, which has no upper age limit, offers musicians a unique, immersive professional orchestral experience, both on and off the stage over the course of a year. The four musicians appointed as Fellowship Musicians for the 2024/25 season are:

Emily Douglas (French Horn) – they/them

Emily is a Horn player originally from Middlesbrough. They will be graduating in December 2024 with a Masters degree from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where they also completed an undergraduate degree with 1^st class honours.

Emily has completed professional experience schemes with The Halle (2021/22) and BBC Philharmonic (2022/23) and has since gone on to enjoy freelancing with a number of orchestras across the North West including Opera North.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Fellowship Scheme gives Emily the opportunity to continue learning from accomplished musicians about orchestral life and to help gain more experience within an orchestral setting. Emily is looking forward to the coming year and is excited for everything the scheme has to offer.

Emily Ambrose (bassoon) – she/her
Sponsored by Tim Jones in memory of Julia

Emily is a bassoonist from Newbury, Berkshire. She is a Leverhulme Arts Scholar at the Royal College of Music, where she is just completing her second year of undergraduate study learning with Emily Hultmark and Joost Bosdijk.
Since moving to London Emily has enjoyed taking advantage of the many musical opportunities available both in and out of college.

Emily applied for the Emerging Musicians Fellowship to gain valuable experience in a professional environment, and behind the scenes insight into the work of a large organisation. She is thrilled to have been offered this opportunity, and is looking forward to learning from the musicians, getting involved with educational projects, developing her musicianship, and gaining knowledge and understanding of how to build a successful career.

Imogen Timmins (Trumpet) – she/her

Imogen is a trumpeter from Cornwall. She recently completed her Bachelor of Music course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, learning with Paul Beniston, Anne McAneney and Will O’Sullivan. Introduced to brass playing by St Keverne Brass Band, Imogen developed a keen interest in orchestral playing through Cornwall Youth Orchestra.

Throughout her undergraduate degree, Imogen has had numerous orchestral opportunities at the Barbican Concert Hall, including playing Principal Trumpet with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra for their performance of Respighi’s Pines of Rome earlier this year. Imogen has also studied the Baroque Trumpet at Guildhall, under the tutelage of David Blackadder. She was given the opportunity to perform alongside the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in the orchestra’s Experience Scheme last year, as well as with the Academy of Ancient Music in the ‘Amplify Artists’ project with Guildhall Baroque Orchestra.

Imogen has recently developed her solo playing, most notably performing in the final of Guildhall’s annual Brass competition this year, the Armourers and Brasiers Prize.

Imogen will soon be starting her Master of Performance degree at the Royal College of Music, having been awarded a scholarship by the conservatoire. Her studies will also be supported by the Help Musicians UK Postgraduate Award and The Lord Lieutenant’s Fund Award.

Imogen is thoroughly looking forward to this year’s scheme with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, which will provide her with an invaluable insight into world class orchestral playing.

Daniel Lewis (Violin) – he/him
Sponsored by Robin Bloxsidge and Nick Riddle 

Daniel, from Watford, was born into a family of musicians and was immersed in classical music from an early age. He studied violin with Lorraine McAslan for nine years at the Junior Royal Academy of Music and gained extensive experience as a teenager leading high-standard youth orchestras including the Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra and the Watford School of Music Youth Orchestra. As a chamber music player he has had coaching with eminent musicians including members of the Carducci Quartet. A fascination for mathematics and the sciences – his other great passion – led him to study physics at Oxford University before completing a PhD in theoretical physics (string theory) at Durham University in 2022. Throughout this time he maintained his violin studies and eventually decided to change career and return to music. Currently a freelance violinist, he hopes to gain a permanent orchestral position.

Daniel is delighted to have been awarded this opportunity by the Liverpool Philharmonic. The scheme provides a perfect gateway to gain experience playing in a professional orchestra, which he finds especially valuable given his career change. He is really looking forward to his time in Liverpool.

Thank you to The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, The Garrick Charitable Trust, The Idlewild Trust, The Kirby Laing Foundation, Thriplow Charitable Trust, and Fidelio Charitable Trust for their support of the programme.

Thank you to the individuals who generously support the Emerging Musicians Fellowship.