Tegwen Jones
Tegwen Jones studied viola at the Royal College of Music with Brian Hawkins. She has enjoyed a long association with Royal Northern Sinfonia, having first joined the orchestra in 1987 as the desk partner of founder member Tony Cullen.
In 1989 she moved to Cardiff and played in the orchestra at Welsh National Opera, where she made many recordings alongside her favourite singer, Bryn Terfel. In 2006 she returned to the North East with her family and rejoined the orchestra.
She says that Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven books changed her life. She read a book aged seven and was inspired to play by the character of a blind boy who played the violin. She then had to wait two years for a school violin!
Sage Gateshead has had a huge influence on Tegwen’s family. Daughter Lydia enjoyed Young Sinfonia and Folkestra, and is now a professional viola player after studying with RNS viola section leader Michael Gerrard. And her son Evan is now studying baritone saxophone at Trinity Laban in London, having played in Sage Gateshead’s youth jazz ensemble Jambone. Evan still brings his sleeping bag for the Jazz Festival!
Tegwen is delighted to be back playing with RNS, and especially enjoys the opportunities to play chamber music, particularly in the larger groups, Mozart 2 Viola Quintet in G minor being her top favourite.