Thomas Carroll
Born in Swansea, Thomas studied with Melissa Phelps at the Yehudi Menuhin School and with Heinrich Schiff in Austria. An exceptionally gifted cellist, he is one of only two artists who have auditioned successfully for both Young Concert Artists Trust in London and Young Concert Artists, Inc. in New York. He has since gone on to be much in demand as a soloist and chamber musician, appearing with the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Sinfonia ViVA, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra. As a chamber musician he has worked with the Belcea Quartet, Chilingirian Quartet, Michael Collins, Gidon Kremer, Steven Isserlis, Mischa Maisky, Julian Rachlin and Janine Jansen, among many others. During his studies in Salzburg with Heinrich Schiff, Thomas also studied conducting at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Jorge Rotter and in London at the Guildhall with Sian Edwards. He has taken part in masterclasses with Janos Furst and worked with various ensembles and orchestras in Austria and the UK. Over the last five years he has worked closely with Nicholas Kok (Principal Conductor of sinfonia ViVA from 1996-2006) who has become a mentor and with whom Thomas has built a close association as a cello soloist. Thomas Carroll made his conducting debut with the Spectrum Ensemble in the Berlin Philharmonie in 2006, conducting music by Toch. This was recorded by Naxos and has just been released. Thomas is currently a Professor at the Royal College of Music in London and the Yehudi Menuhin School.

Pierre Doumenge 
Pierre studied at the Ecole Normale in Paris with Geneviève Teulières. He moved to London in 1996 to study with Raphaël Sommer and Oleg Kogan at the Guildhall School, where he received five awards, including first prize in the three internal cello competitions. His busy schedule is now divided between solo work, chamber music and teaching. As a member of the acclaimed Dante Quartet, he is frequently heard on BBC Radio 3 and has recorded quartet and cello works of Edmund Rubbra, a project that was initiated in 2001 to coincide with the centenary of Rubbra's birth. A CD of works by Russian composers Lyaponov and Gretchaninov is due this spring. He is also a member of the Nabarro Piano Trio, performing in venues such as the Wigmore Hall or St David's Hall in Cardiff and appears regularly with his wife, the pianist Annika Palm, giving together a highly praised debut recital at the Purcell Room in London in 2001. He has been invited as guest artist with many groups such as the Endymion Ensemble, Chamber Domaine, the English Chamber Orchestra Chamber Ensemble and the Nash Ensemble. Pierre is also a regular guest at the International Music Seminars in Prussia Cove, Cornwall, and performed in their autumn tour in 2003. Future performances include the Schubert Quintet with the Allegri Quartet at the occasion of its 50th Anniversary (Richmond and St John's Smith Square) and a new series of themed concerts, the Night and Dreams Project, with singer Gweneth-Ann Jeffers. Pierre has taught cello and chamber music at Junior Guildhall for three years and was invited to give public classes by the Oxford 'Cello School in 1998. He has also coached chamber groups in many courses such as 'Pro Corda', 'MusicWorks', and 'Cadenza'. Pierre Doumenge is a professor of cello at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and teaches at the Yehudi Menuhin School.