Charles Clark - Leader
Charles has played in the BPO since 2001 and been leader since 2013. In his teens he had an inspirational teacher in Colin Dowdeswell and has enjoyed making music ever since. He is greatly enjoying having lessons again, now with Rebecca Scott-Smissen. He has played a number of the main violin concertos in BPO rehearsals and in BPO concerts solos have included the Bach Double Concerto, Bartók's Portrait No 1, John Williams' Schindler's List, Elgar's Chanson de Matin, the Méditation from Massenet's Thaïs, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Spring from Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
Mostly retired from his day job as a lawyer he chairs the National Youth String Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust and is a member of the LSO's Advisory Council.
Hazel Arnill - Flute
Hazel began playing the flute at a local music school in Billericay. Always passionate about orchestral music, she first joined the KEGS orchestra, then the Southend Youth, Basildon Youth and Essex Youth orchestras. She studied flute with Richard Chapman at Sheffield University where she won the ISM recital competition and a scholarship to attend the Trevor Wye International Flute Summer School. She also performed the Mozart D major concerto with both the university orchestra and the Sheffield Bach Society orchestra.
Following her decision to become a full time class teacher in 1982, flute was put on the back burner; although she has always played with a number of local orchestras, notably the Essex Chamber Orchestra. She is currently the Headteacher of Ford End C of E Primary School.
Since 2013, Hazel has once again been playing the flute more seriously and has been studying with Julie Wright and once again attending the Trevor Wye Summer Schools. In February 2015 she gave her debut recital at the Cramphorn Theatre in Chelmsford. Performing another concerto fulfils one of the ambitions she has on her bucket list!
