WREXHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Caroline Tate-Lovery – Solo Saxophone

Caroline was born in Chirk in 1974, and from a young age competed regularly in festivals and Eisteddfodau, most successfully in 1992, in which she won both the Woodwind Solo and Piano Duet competitions at the National finals of the Urdd Eisteddfod, and the Open Woodwind competition at the National Eisteddfod. Three times a finalist in the Young Instrumentalist of The Year competition at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Caroline was awarded a Junior Exhibition scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London aged 15, and at the same age gave her debut solo performance at the  Purcell Room on the South Bank. During this period Caroline played clarinet regularly with both the Clwyd and North Wales Youth Orchestras, and was principal saxophonist of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain.

Continuing her degree studies at the RCM under the tutelage of Kyle Horch and the late Stephen Trier, Caroline was awarded the Jane Melber Saxophone Prize and formed the saxophone quartet Saxploitation, with whom she enjoyed great success in recital halls throughout Europe, performing regularly on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3, and notably as selected artists in the 1996 Park Lane Group series at London's South Bank. 

Since graduating, Caroline has worked extensively in touring musical theatre, as a saxophone soloist and as an accompanist for festivals, Eisteddfodau and for Flutewise, with whom she was invited to accompany soloists for James Galway's 60th Birthday Party. She has taught saxophone and directed ensembles and Big Bands for many years, mainly in the independent sector, notably at the London College of Music and Media and at Hampton School in London, and subsequently in Normandy where she lived for three years. In 2006 she was Press Officer for the inaugural London Saxophone Festival.

After many years away, Caroline has returned to North Wales, where since February 2006 she has been the accompanist for the mixed choir Cantorion Rhos, and has adjudicated for the Wrexham Youth Music Festival. She has recently been appointed to teach music at the new branch of the youth theatre organisation Theatretrain, opening in Wrexham in September. It has been her long held wish to perform a saxophone concerto with an orchestra in the William Aston Hall, and is delighted that the WSO have given her this opportunity tonight.

July 2007

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