Lisa Friend

LISA FRIEND started the flute aged five. At sixteen she studied in New York with flautist Renee Siebert of the New York Philharmonic. She was then awarded a flute Scholarship to study with Julius Baker at his summer school in Connecticut. 


At seventeen, Lisa won a Scholarship to the Royal College of Music. where she studied with Susan Milan. Twice winner of the Martin Music Scholarship then enabled her to study at the Paris Conservatoire with Alain Marion and Ida Ribera. 


As a soloist, Lisa has appeared with the Philharmonia Orchestra,  Prague Philharmonic, Liverpool Philharmonic and toured throughout the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, China and the USA. Other solo appearances include BBC ChildLine, a concert for Royal Family at Buckingham Palace as soloist with the late Yehudi Menuhin, the Britten theatre with the late Sir George Solti and for Steven Spielberg after writing and performing a track for his foundation SHOAH. Lisa was also soloist for the Bill Kenwright production Music 2000. She has given live recitals for Classic FM and Radio 3. Live television has included Brandenburg 5th Concerto in Spain with her father the International violinist Rodney Friend.


After signing a deal with Universal Publishing, Lisa wrote original arrangements for her trio based on some of the great film scores as well as her own compositions, performing at venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields, St. James's Piccadilly, St. John's Smith Square and the British Embassy in Paris. Lisa recorded as soloist, Ennio Morricone's 'Once upon a time in America' for Silver Screen Records with the Prague Philharmonic.

Lisa recently performed alongside Liza Minnelli in aid of the White Rose Ball Holocaust Trust Fundraiser.  She also featured on a CD recording for 'Malcolm Martineau and friends' of songs by Poulenc on the Signum Classics label.  Recent highlights include recitals at St James's Piccadilly, The Forge and for the House of Commons amongst others.

Lisa is in the middle of recording her 2nd solo album which will be launched during 2013.

Lisa plays on a Verne Powell Gold Flute.

RODNEY FRIEND is recognised internationally as one of the most  outstanding English born violinists.  As a soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster, director and teacher he has appeared worldwide with the greatest musicians of the last forty five years.  He made his London debut playing Sibelius concerto with the Halle Orchestra and his American debut playing Britten concerto with the New York Philharmonic.  He has performed extensively as concerto soloist with  major  orchestras in  Europe, North and South America, Scandinavia and the Far East under such  conductors as  Haitink, Barbirolli, Mehta, Leinsdorf, Solti, Giulini, Davis and Boult.  Amongst his many  recordings, his performances with the London Philharmonic of the  Britten and Bach concertos for EMI received the highest critical acclaim.

In 1991 he formed the Solomon Trio with whom he toured Europe extensively, playing at such venues as La Scala Milan and  recording much of the great trio literature for Carlton Records.  It is however as a Concertmaster where his experience and reputation is legendary.  In 1964 he became the youngest ever leader of the London Philharmonic, working closely with Bernard Haitink, Barenboim, Solti and Giulini.  In 1975 he received the unique honour for a British player when he was invited by the New York Philharmonic to be their  Concertmaster, playing concerts and recording worldwide with Bernstein, Boulez and Mehta.  It is with these two orchestras that he recorded almost the entire orchestral repertoire.
 
On his return to London he became concertmaster of the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Roszdestvensky and a senior lecturer and consultant of violin at the Royal College of Music, where he formed and directed The RCM String Ensemble, touring and performing with many great artists.  Since 1990 he has worked solely in the areas of  teaching, solo and  chamber music performances, travelling regularly as a professor and jury member at the international violin competitions. His students continue to achieve success in all areas of violin playing.

In 2006 the first two volumes of his books The Orchestral Violinist were published by Boosey and Hawkes, and received universal acclaim as being the most important works so far produced for this discipline.  He plays a Joseph Guarnerius violin dated 1696.