Edward Mills  Principal Horn

Edward took up the Horn at the age of seven, and progressed quickly through several ensembles, starting with the Greenwich Youth Band and later the likes of Kent Youth Wind Orchestra and the London Schools Symphony Orchestra with whom he held the Principal position for several years.  Following his studies at Trinity College of Music with Martin Owen and Mike Murray, Edward now studies at the Guildhall School of music and Drama where he is taught by Hugh Seenan, Richard Bissill and Andrew Clark (Natural Horn). He has also studied with Peter Civil, Roger Montgomery (Natural Horn), Jeff Bryant and Steve Stirling.  Edward regularly plays with ensembles away from college; these include the Orpheus Sinfonia, The Amadeus Orchestra and the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra. He has played under several distinguished conductors such as Mark Elder, Andrew Davies and Sir Charles Mackerras.

Michael Fletcher  Co-Principal Horn

Michael has been studying the French horn for nearly thirteen years, having begun at the Kent Music Academy where he was guided both as a soloist and an orchestral player. He has had several different tutors of the years, notably Michael THompson (Royal Academy of Music); Anthony Halstead (International Music Festival, Wales) and Paul Sawbridge at the University of Bristol. He has previously occupied the 3rd Horn chair in the Maidstone Symphony Orchestra and been principal horn of the Paul Archibald Brass Ensemble. He is currently principal horn of the Brunel Sinfonia, with whom he appeared as a soloist last year, and has worked in Bristol's Hippodrome, Bath's Theatre Royal and many other locations around the South-West as far as Cardiff and the Royal Forrest of Dean.  He appeared with the London Irish Symphony Orchestra in its final two years, including performances at the Cadogan Hall, and has played with Situation Opera since its foundation - mainly on natural horn, and playing co-principal Ed Mills.

Emily Allen
Emily began her studies at the Guildhall in 2004, learning with Richard Bissill, Hugh Seenan and natural horn with Andy Clarke. Prior to this she was a member of the National Children's Orchestra, National Youth Sinfonia and the Northants County Youth Orchestra and Concert Band.  Since completing a masters degree at the Guildhall in 2009 Emily has performed with the National Concert Orchestra of Great Britain, London Contemporary Orchestra, University of London Symphony Orchestra and as a performer and mentor on the London Symphony Orchestra 'On Track' scheme. More recently she has spent time in Portugal with the Codigo Dance Company and has worked with the Philharmonia Orchestra's Brass Quintet and Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Emily is currently a chamber music fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Emma Whitney

Emma began taking horn lessons whilst at primary school and reached grade 8 by the time she came to do her A-levels.  Whilst at sixth form, she received horn lessons from Paul Sawbridge and in 2005, received a major entrance award to the RNCM, where she studied for four years under Lizzie Davies.  Whilst studying at the RNCM, Emma reached the finals of the College Concerto Competition on two occasions, and played with both the Halle and the BBC Philharmonic orchestras as part of their Professional Experience Schemes.  She also gave a number of recitals across the North West, and was on the RNCM 'external engagements list', both as a soloist and as a member of the Ophelia Wind Quintet who were finalists in the RNCM Chamber Music Prize.   In 2008, Emma received a scholarship from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as well as awards from the Musician's Benevolent Fund, the Countess of Munster Trust, the Craxton Memorial Trust and the North Nibley Arts Trust which enabled her to move to London to study for a Masters.  She is now studying at the GSMD where she is supported by the Dorset Foundation.  Emma is taught by Hugh Seenan, Richard Bissill, Jeffrey Bryant and Andrew Clarke (natural horn).

Hugh Fairbairn  Principal Trumpet

Born in Bristol and raised in Basingstoke, Hugh graduated from University College, Cardiff with an Honours degree in Music and currently maintains a dual career playing trumpets and selling them at Phil Parker Ltd. In addition to his degree, Hugh was awarded LTCL and FTCL qualifications from Trinity College, London. He studied with, amongst others, Andy Cuff and Tony Wythe. In addition to be playing the trumpet Hugh is a Cordon Bleu chef, and for many years decorated wedding cakes to a professional standard! Highlights of his musical career include playing with the Bath Baroque Orchestra, Paul Archibald, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Harry Christophers and duets with Arturo Sandoval.

Ola Olsson

Ola was and bred in the south of Sweden and received his music degree from the Malmö Academy of Music in Sweden where he studied 1999-2004 with Leif Bengtsson under the supervision of professor Håkan Hardenberger.  Ola moved to London in 2004 after having fallen in love with a nice English exchange student in Malmö, who he married later that year (Helen Goatly also plays with Situation Opera, as co-principal viola!). In 2005 he got the job as lead trumpet in a touring show band called Las Vegas Orchestra, a position he held for three years. After being constantly (around 200 days a year) on the road, Ola decided it was time for a change. So here he is, back in London doing all sorts of trumpet related things, including playing with various Orchestras, Big Bands and Horn Sections. Ola has worked with Situation Opera since its foundation, and previously played with Nick Newland and many of his current colleagues over the last seven years.

Ben Hartley  Principal Timpani

Ben Hartley graduated from the Guildhall school of Music and Drama in July 2006 with a BMus Honours degree, studying under David Corkhill, Michael Skinner, Richard Benjafield and Trevor Tomkins. Ben was an active performer with the Guildhall ensembles and orchestras. He has toured Italy twice with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, played live on Radio Three and has performed in the Barbican Hall with Sir Colin Davies conducting. He has also played in the LSO's education centre, St Luke's church with the Guildhall Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Through Guildhall Ben became a member of the European Academies Symphony Orchestra, with which he played concerts in London, Helsinki, and the Musikverein, Vienna. He also represented the GSMD at the International Percussion Festival Perkumania in Paris 2005.  Since graduating Ben has been freelancing as a percussionist and drummer, playing in concerts around London and throughout Britain and Europe. Ben has worked with many orchestras, including the City of London Chamber Orchestra, the Amadeus Orchestra and Southbank Sinfonia. He also plays for theatrical shows and operas and has toured North England and Scotland with Opera della Luna. As a drummer, Ben plays in a function band, called Something Borrowed, for weddings, parties and corporate functions, and is a deputy for other such groups, including two big bands. Ben grew up in Reading and goes back there regularly to play with local orchestras and his band, The Flyin' Muckers.

www.somethingborrowedband.com  www.myspace.com/theflyinmuckers

David Carnac  Principal Trombone

David studied the Trombone with Peter Gane, Denis Wick and Eric Crees at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama between 1981 and 1985. He freelanced extensively during and immediately after this period but in 1988 joined the then rapidly expanding Financial Services sector and banished his trombone to the loft to concentrate on building a career in Financial Services. In 1997 he took the plunge and set up his own company, David Carnac & Co, www.davidcarnac.co.uk, to specialise in providing independent mortgage advice to his ever growing client bank, many of whom are musicians, or those connected with the arts. In 2006, following repeated suggestions by many of his friends and clients, he ventured into his loft and retrieved his trombone and gingerly blew it to see if both he and his trombone worked. A few years later, David now complements his busy business life performing with many varied musical ensembles, both professionally and purely for the pleasure of making music.  In 2008, his musical activities included sessions at Livingstone and Mark Angelo studios, the occasional deputising on stage in Cabaret at the Lyric theatre, many varied freelance engagements (including three tuba mirums and a Bolero) and a wonderful, eye opening, two week tour of Zambia performing show music in charity concerts raising money for Zambian orphans.

Deirdre Box

Deirdre hails from Dunedin, New Zealand and started playing the trombone at a young age. After travelling for a couple of years, Deirdre settled in London on Christmas Eve 2003 and now teaches at several primary schools in Camden, as well as coaching jazz groups and other musical ensembles. Her extensive performing experience ranges from brass bands and symphony orchestras to a 36-hour marathon of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas! Whilst in New Zealand, she performed with the Southern Sinfonia and Dunedin Jazz Orchestra, as well as concerts with Kiri Te Kanawa and Nigel Kennedy. She joined the Orchestra of Situation Opera in 2009, and plays third trombone.