The Rookh Quartet began life in 2018 when four of Scotland's horn players decided to get together regularly. The aim was to explore the quartet repertoire, to get out of their comfort zones and keep on pushing their own technical abilities, and to enjoy making music together - usually followed by a spot of socialising! Unlike most horn sections and quartets, where they are led by the Principal player, the Rookh Quartet takes a very democratic approach, with the players rotating around the seats and having to cover the full 4 octave range of the instrument a lot of the time.
The original plan did not involve doing any concerts – call it ‘continuing professional development’! This changed when a group withdrew from a concert at the University of Glasgow a few days before the brochure went to press...
The first concert also gave the group their name, as they gave the first performance of Jane Stanley's Lalla Rookh, for natural horn, 2 horns, and narrator. The piece is based on a letter written by a former University of Glasgow staff member and amateur horn player, William Thomson...also known as Lord Kelvin. The letter was written as he was anchored in the harbour of Funchal, Madeira, on board the Lalla Rookh. His natural horn can be found in the Hunterian Museum, in the room directly above the University's Concert Hall.
Stephanie Jones
Stephanie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music from 2000-5. Following on from her studies Stephanie began her freelance career playing with orchestras including the Halle, BBC Philharmonic, Opera North, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Philharmonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Northern Ballet and Manchester Camerata. She also played on tour with Grammy Award-winning singer Adele.
Stephanie began her current post as Sub-Principal 4th horn at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2009. She regularly participates in workshops and education projects with the BBC SSO including BBC 10 Pieces projects in primary and secondary schools and Tunes for Tots with pre-school children. Stephanie is also one of the regular coaches for the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and currently lectures at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a post she has held since 2012.
Stephanie enjoys chamber music and as well as exploring horn music with the Rookh Quartet she frequently joins colleague from the BBC SSO for chamber concerts.
Lauren Reeve-Rawlings
Lauren is the third horn of The Orchestra of Scottish Opera. Before her move to Glasgow she worked as solo horn in the Mittelsächsische Philharmonie in Freiberg in Germany, whilst also completing a masters in solo performance in Dresden. She has spent time in Austria studying the Vienna horn with Hector McDonald (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), and prior to this completed her BMus (hons) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
Lauren freelances in the UK and abroad, with many orchestras and chamber groups, including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Andy Saunders
Born in Dundee, Andy Saunders grew up in Staffordshire where he began horn lessons as an excuse to miss science lessons! He studied Music at York University before moving back north to Glasgow to complete his Masters degree at the RSAMD with Hugh Potts.
After graduating he spent a season as Solo Horn of Slovenian National Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, before returning to Glasgow to freelance. He now plays regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Daniel's Beard, and Rednote Ensemble in Scotland, and further afield with ensembles including Le Concert Olympique, Capella Aquiliae and Ensemble Modern.
Andy ran The Cottier Chamber Project, is currently the Co-Chair of New Music Scotland, sits on the board of The Night With..., and is the Performance Consultant for the University of Glasgow’s music department.
Ian Smith
After studies at The Royal College of Music, London, Ian was appointed to the horn section of the Royal Ballet Orchestra. He also worked extensively as a freelance horn player in both England and Wales, notably with The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Halle Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
He joined the horn section of The Orchestra of Scottish Opera in September 2007 and also freelances frequently with other orchestras in Scotland. He is a founder member of the Rookh Horn Quartet.
Ian is also a qualified Piano Tuner and Repairer.
