Each member of Ariella Strings is a highly experienced and accomplished performer in their own right, within the quartet, trio and duo and also with other professional ensembles. We all perform with professional orchestras all over the country and give formal recitals.

For Ariella Strings we form various groups for concerts, functions and weddings. These include: string trio, string quartet and string duo.

John Bass - viola

John studied viola with John White and Stephen Shingles at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has played with various professional orchestras throughout the United Kingdom and internationally, as well as performing in chamber ensembles. John’s special interests are arranging music for chamber groups and conducting.

Freddie Collarbone- 'cello

Freddie studied both at the Royal Academy of Music, London and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, Glasgow. She has worked as a fulltime cellist with many of the country's orchestras such as the Ulster Orchestra, Scottish Baroque Ensemble and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.  Freddie now freelances across the United Kingdom and is a member of various chamber ensembles giving recitals and playing for functions.

Cheryl Agnew-Bass- violin

Cheryl studied violin with Yossi Zivoni at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.  After graduating in 1989  she worked fulltime for six years with the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa. Since returning to England Cheryl has freelanced with professional orchestras across the United Kingdom and in Europe, including Ulster Orchestra, London Bach Orchestra, Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra, New Queens Hall Orchestra and Milton Keynes City Orchestra. Alongside her freelance orchestral commitments Cheryl performs with Ariella Strings, giving recitals and playing for functions.

Katy Barnes - violin

Katy Barnes was brought up in Milton Keynes and started her musical training at Stantonbury Music Centre, learning with Ruth Gapp. She went on to be taught by Diana Cummings and Peter Cropper, studying music at Manchester University and then the Royal Northern College of Music. After her studies she got the job of Principal 2nd violin at Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestra. She now lives in Harpenden with her family, freelancing and teaching and is a regular player with MKCO.

Rachel Sanders-Hewett - 'cello

Rachel Sanders-Hewett graduated BMus with first class honours from the University of Birmingham in 2003, having been awarded two prizes by the University. She then went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Sally Pendlebury and Alison McGillivray. Rachel was the winner of the 2004 Hertfordshire Young Musician competition, and has appeared as soloist with the North London Philharmonia and Stevenage Symphony Orchestra in the Dvořák and Schumann cello concertos. She is currently enjoying a career as a freelance ‘cellist.

Julie MacRae - violin

Julie MacRae studied Violin at the Royal Northern College of Music with Malcolm Layfield. After Graduating in 2007 Julie spent two years as Head of strings at Kampala Music School, Uganda developing the string department. Whilst in Uganda Julie gave many solo recitals and lead the Kampala Symphony Orchestra. Julie is now based in Oxfordshire and is enjoying a busy freelance career with ensembles in the South East.

Dinah Beamish - 'cello

Dinah Beamish is a freelance 'cellist living in London. She plays with many different ensembles such as the Milton Keynes City orchestra, English National Ballet orchestra and West End show work. She also enjoys string arranging, teaching 'cello, and especially playing with Ariella strings.

Nerys Clark - 'cello

Nerys Clark studied both at Chethams School of Music, Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music where she awarded scholarships for both. She regularly performs with the Manchester Camerata, Royal Artillery and the London Shostakovich Orchestra and enjoys freelancing with other orchestras/chamber ensembles internationally and across the UK. She was guest principal cellist with the Liverpool Philharmonic and has performed the fantastic solo piece ‘Hungarian Rhapsody’ by Popper on tour in Ireland, Austria and Italy. Nerys has also appeared backing artists such as Kanye West, Oasis, Gorillaz on tour. She also very much enjoys classroom, cello and piano teaching.

Stephen Shakeshaft - Viola

Stephen’s London experience includes membership of the English Chamber Orchestra, Principal Viola of the BBC Concert Orchestra and Co-Principal of the RPO. Entirely freelance now Stephen concentrates on his work as Principal Viola of Oxford Philomusica and his chamber music engagements. Stephen’s discography includes the Mozart String Quintets and the Schubert Quintet with the Locrian Ensemble, and the Mendelssohn Octet plus the String Symphonies with Primavera Chamber Orchestra.