We are delighted to announce the names of the first five recipients of our inaugural Camerata 360° Ruth Sutton Fellowship. Created with the generous support of The Ruth Sutton Trust for Music, these five northern-based fellows will each receive a paid, year-long bespoke training programme – commencing now – in which they will gain vital experience of all aspects of a musical career, our work and the impact it makes.
Georgina MacDonell Finlayson holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Edinburgh and in 2022 completed a Masters in Music at the Royal Northern College of Music. She is a versatile Scottish violinist, fiddle player, composer and community arts practitioner. On hearing the news of her Fellowship, she comments: “Manchester Camerata’s combination of community projects and innovative concert programming encompasses so much of what I aspire to as a musician. I can’t wait to learn from their inspiring musicians and team, to reach people from all walks of life and tell the stories that matter.”
Sean Morrison
Sean Morrison is a musician and educator from Ayr, Scotland currently based in Manchester, UK.
Described as “a fluent and fearless player”, Sean is motivated and enthused by an eclectic mix of music and has performed at a high level in a number of guises. He studies classical violin and as a result of this he has a wealth of experience in both orchestral, solo and chamber music. He has performed on international stages such as the BBC Proms and Edinburgh International Festival as well as playing in many orchestral settings during his conservatoire studies, from standard orchestral repertoire to contemporary works to popular music.
Marcus Vinícius de Oliveira
Born in Brazil Marcus began learning the double bass at the age of 15 and moved to Manchester in 2018 to study at the RNCM where he graduated with First Class with Honours. Marcus is very excited to be working with Manchester Camerata over the coming year as part of their first cohort of 360° Ruth Sutton Fellow and says: “I am very pleased to be part of Manchester Camerata’s first cohort of 360° Ruth Sutton Fellows and am extremely grateful for this opportunity. Alongside the musical and artistic experiences my colleagues and I will have when joining the amazing professionals from Camerata in rehearsals, lessons, community work and concerts, I am very excited to learn more about arts management, finance and leadership as part of this Fellowship.”
Ben Norris
Ben is now a Junior Fellow at the RNCM having previously studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He is a very active chamber musician and most recently won the coveted Viola prize at the RNCM. He comments: “I’m incredibly excited to be part of such a unique fellowship that offers so much room for development and discovery, in many aspects of the profession. I am particularly looking forward to working with a wonderful team, and bringing music to the community. It’s so important!”
James Weatherley-Buss
James is a British composer, multi-instrumentalist and experimental electronic artist living in Manchester. He has recently completed a postgraduate degree in composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Open to both recent graduates of musical performance and composition, this year long fellowship will enable James to develop both of his areas of expertise and interest. He says: “I’m in exactly the right place to learn more about music as a community activity, which is something I’m really looking forward to. I love the Camerata’s progressive approach to concert programming and it’ll be great to help bring these exceptional evenings of music to life, supporting and learning from its outstanding musicians.”