Rachel Jones
Viola
Born in Merseyside, Rachel started playing the violin at the age of eight, at 16 she led the Merseyside Youth Orchestra (now Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra) on violin. She progressed to the viola when she went to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. During her five years in Manchester Rachel travelled extensively, working in France, Italy, Switzerland and Beirut and performing regularly with the Cope String Quartet.
Rachel was privileged to study with Vicci Wardman, Rodger Benedict, Heather Wallington and the late Chris Rowland. She was awarded various prizes for both chamber music and solo playing including the Lawrence Turner Prize for chamber music, the Granada Prize for chamber ensembles and the Charles Halle Award.
Rachel has been a member of both the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Manchester Camerata for nearly 20 years; she is also a member of Equilibrium – a string quartet committed to performing works by female composers past and present.
The power that music and creativity has to aid recovery is something that Rachel is also very passionate about. She is a lead musician with the Liverpool Philharmonic Music and Health Programme; delivering programmes in Mersey Care in-patient settings and the local community on a regular basis.
In her spare time, Rachel converts back to the violin, playing in local pubs and venues with a pop and folk band.
