John Hird is the Founder and Creative Director of Alerion Strings, delivering vibrant and inspiring performances across the UK. Originally from Lincolnshire, he began playing the violin at age eight and discovered his true voice on the viola at twenty-one. John studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), training under renowned violists Rose Redgrave, Vicci Wardman, Robin Ireland, and Susie Mészáros. His extensive career includes performances with prestigious ensembles such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, the London Mozart Players, Opera North, the Manchester Camerata, Manchester Concert Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside appearances at major festivals and broadcasts on BBC Radio three. He is also experienced in professional recording environments, having recorded for major artists and orchestras around the country. He currently performs on an Andrea Guarneri–model viola, crafted in 2016 by Andrew Sutherland

Rebecca is a violist from Marsden in West Yorkshire. She is an accomplished orchestral player and regularly freelances with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, Manchester Camerata, and Opera North. Rebecca completed her Master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Vicci Wardman, Alex Mitchell and Susie Mészáros. Here she was awarded the RNCM Viola Prize and in 2022 became the Junior Fellow in Viola. Alongside her performance work, Rebecca is an instrumental tutor and workshop coordinator at the North of England Centre for Music and Arts. Rebecca plays on a Niccolò viola by Chris Tayler.

A graduate of the Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag in the Netherlands, RNCM and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire receiving the highest marks for performance, cellist Harry Broom BMus Hons, MMus, PgDip is currently pursuing a busy and diverse career both as a performer and a teacher. Harry has performed in concert halls such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Royal Albert Hall London, The Bridgewater Hall Manchester, Tivoli Vredenburg Utrecht and Symphony Hall Birmingham. Harry currently freelances with orchestras such as BBC Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (also in conjunction with Dutch National Opera at the Nationale Opera and Ballet Amsterdam), The Hallé, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Residentie Orkest Den Haag and the English Symphony Orchestra and has been broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3 and Dutch Radio NPO 4. In chamber music, Harry plays regularly in concerts with ensembles (Talland Quartet, Pelargos Quartet and Wyss Trio) around the UK and the Netherlands.

Vanessa White is a German-born violinist , raised in a musical household—her mother a Canadian pianist and her father a British violinist—she first studied under her father at Oakham School and Loughborough High School. Vanessa went on to earn a Bachelor of Music (Hons) from the Royal Northern College of Music (studying with Pavel Fischer) and a Master in Performance from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (under Ofer Falk). She has also received guidance from Levon Chilingirian, Andrew Watkinson, Bartosz Woroch, Yair Kless, and Mauricio Fuks. Vanessa has performed concertos such as Dvořák’s Romance, Saint-Saëns’s Rondo Capriccioso, and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, and regularly gives recitals with pianist Radu Prisada. Based in London and the Midlands, she freelances with orchestras including the Bliss Sinfonia and Sheffield Repertoire Orchestra. As a dedicated chamber musician, she co-founded the Alegría Piano Trio in 2015 and has collaborated with ensembles like the Gaspard Trio, Elias Quartet, and Sitkovetsky Trio. Committed to education, Vanessa began as a graduate music assistant at Rugby School and now teaches violin at both Rugby School and Bilton Grange Preparatory School. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking in the Black Forest, and doting on her favourite dog breeds.

Penny studied classical violin performance at Trinity Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich. She moved to Glasgow in 2021 and successfully auditioned for Live Music Now Scotland, an organisation which provides live music for audiences that wouldn’t usually have access to it. Penny also enjoys orchestral playing and is currently the leader of the London City Philharmonic. A large part of her portfolio career involves teaching violin, piano, cello and music theory in and around Glasgow, as well as online. In her spare time she loves to grow vegetables and tend to her ever growing indoor plant collection!

Initially a violinist, Peter picked up the viola at 16 years old and has never looked back! Peter studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for eight years, gaining a BMus (Hons) in Performance, MMus in Instrumental Performance, and a PgDip in Orchestral Performance. He was also given a place on the RNCM/Halle Advanced Orchestral Strings Programme for 2024/2025. Outside of his studies, some of Peter’s favourite musical engagements include playing with Sinfonia Cymru for Bryn Terfel’s UK tour in 2022, playing at the Lake District Summer Music Festival with the Saorsa Quartet in 2023, and winning the John Fussell Award for Young Musicians in 2021

Andrew is a freelance cellist based in Manchester. He is an experienced performer, having given solo recitals around the country, and he has worked with both the BBC Philharmonic and Halle Orchestras as well as a variety of other ensembles in Manchester, London and his home county of Norfolk. Andrew’s recent achievements include reaching the final of the Royal Northern College of Music’s Sir John Barbirolli Prize for Cello, his 2017 performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the Wymondham Symphony Orchestra and being featured in the Norfolk County Music Festival’s ‘Rising Stars’ concert. Andrew completed his Master’s Degree at the Royal Northern College of Music and he previously studied at the Royal College of Music in London and Chetham's School of Music in Manchester.

Taiwanese violinist Yu-Mien Sun began her musical journey at the age of six. In 2007, she relocated to the UK with her family, where she quickly established herself as a leading talent. Yu-Mien led her local youth orchestra and served as a principal player in both the CBSO Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Her passion for music led her to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where she excelled, winning numerous solo and chamber music competitions and earning a special recognition prize from then-principal Julian Lloyd Webber. She continued her studies with Jack Liebeck at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with Distinction for MA in Music and receiving the DipRAM for her exceptional final recital. During this time, she participated in masterclasses with renowned violinists such as Pinchas Zukerman and Leonidas Kavakos. One of Yu-Mien's career highlights is the release of an album "Reverie" with Naxos Records. Now enjoying a successful career as an orchestral musician, she plays with major UK orchestras such as the Hallé, CBSO, and LSO. Additionally, Yu-Mien has a vibrant freelance career in chamber music, solo performances, teaching, and community work. Yu-Mien is grateful for the loan of a violin made by Hieronymus Amati c.1710.

Claire is a versatile and mesmerising violinist known for her warm sound and moving performances. Performing effortlessly in many genres on both electric, acoustic and baroque violins from classical, pop, folk, baroque and jazz repertoire, Claire has been performing as a soloist and in various ensembles all over the UK and Europe and has performed in many events including festivals, weddings and session work and has performed in Malta, Luxembourg, France, Latvia, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Spain and has been honoured to perform for the British Royal family’s Christmas service in St James’ palace in 2021. Claire studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, for the latter half of her course she specialised in the baroque violin under the tutelage of Rachel Podger graduating in 2015. With 10 years professional performing experience, Claire Rhiannon knows how to create the perfect atmosphere. Her friendly demeanour, her professionalism and her skill are held in the highest regard.