Mid Sussex Sinfonia

Peter Fender
Peter studied conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and is continuing his studies with Achim Holub and Peter Stark (of the TV series 'Maestro'). He is musical director of the Angel Orchestra in London. In 2006 he founded the London orchestra Philharmonia Britannica, to perform a wide range of music alongside other media such as acting, poetry, dance or video. Recent highlights for Peter have been Bach's St Matthew Passion and Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. Peter has performed as violinist, baroque violinist and violist all over the world, often directing from the violin. He has performed a number of concertos, most recently Mendelssohn's Concerto in E minor. He has also embarked on a project to play all Beethoven's string quartets on period instruments.

Martin Palmer
Martin took over the leadership of the Mid-Sussex Sinfonia from his former teacher Martin Cannings in 1999. He has appeared as soloist with the Sinfonia on several occasions; performing, among other works, Vaughan Williams' 'Lark Ascending' and most notably during the Sinfonia's highly successful tour of Belgium and France in 2001. As director of the Mid-Sussex Baroque Ensemble Martin has performed for the Haywards Heath Music Society and for other charity concerts in the area playing the violin concertos of Bach and Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' along with various other solo works of the baroque repertoire. Professionally, Martin plays for the orchestra of English National Ballet; as principal 2nd violin for the National Symphony Orchestra and works extensively as a freelance violinist in London and throughout the country. He is a founder member of the Sussex String Quartet who specialise in light music. Since 2001 Martin has been teacher of violin at his former school, Ardingly College.