Hamtun Ensemble
JOHN PESKET FRENCH HORN
Having graduated from the London consevatoires, John has performed with many of the UK's top orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra. John currently freelances across the South Coast and is also a manufacturer of horn mouthpieces. John's teachers include legendary horn players from the London orchestras
Rob Eckett Holmes Bassoon
Rob is a highly experienced professional freelance bassoonist covering the south coast of England. Over 40 years experience in orchestral playing, ranging from small chamber works to full scale symphony orchestras and an extensive repertoire. His mentors have included Martin Gatt (ENO) and Martin Bowen (BBC NOW). Rob is a keen teacher of the instrument across all ages and also manufactures bassoon reeds.
Helen Matthews Oboe
Helen is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she was an ABRSM and RCS Trust scholar. During her studies, she was fortunate enough to play alongside the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, in addition to pursuing an active interest in solo and chamber music performance. Furthermore, she also developed a love of pedagogy, and after gaining an ABRSM Diploma in Teaching, she can now be found performing and teaching back home in Hampshire.
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ROB BLANKEN CLARINET
Robert (Rob) Blanken was born in Rotterdam and came to England at the age of 10. Soon afterwards he began to learn the clarinet with David Leverton and later became principal clarinet in the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Neville Duckworth and Sidney Fell gaining his GRNCM and later a performer’s diploma from the Royal College of Music.
Laura Simmonds Flute
Laura read Music at Southampton University and has a background in Primary education. She has gone on to work for Hampshire Council supporting families who home school their children. Laura plays several instruments, including Flute, Piccolo, Saxophone and orchestral percussion, and also enjoy singing. Laura is an active member in several local orchestras and ensembles and is often found playing in the orchestral pit for local am-dram societies. She lives in Southampton with her ragdoll cat Luna!
LUCY SMITH FRENCH HORN
Having grown up in Southampton, Lucy has now performed with orchestras around the world and won competitions for her horn playing in both the UK and USA. She enjoys a varied freelance career across the UK, frequently playing with the BBC orchestras and Welsh National Opera. Lucy holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Horn Performance and Music Theory from Temple University, Philadelphia, a Masters from the College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, and a Bachelors from RNCM. Her research includes analysing the link between Music Performance Anxiety and other mental and physical health conditions and the impact and importance of promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in performance and education.