Management - Cambridge Philharmonic

Cambridge Philharmonic is run by a committee of elected voluntary officers including the Trustees, who, together with the Music Director, meet regularly through the year.

edna murphy - Assistant Secretary (Governance)

Edna joined the Phil about 20 years ago initially playing violin but now viola.

Professionally she has worked in higher education administration but has also spent time volunteering, in activities as broad as serving as a Magistrate and supporting youth music activities such as founding Cambridge Youth Music.

She’s now a county councillor too, spending more time on the public service than the day job.

ORCHESTRA SECRETARY - Role currently vacant

Orchestra Secretary role description – open to role sharing

Elaine Fulton - Chorus Co-Secretary

Elaine joined Cambridge Philharmonic Chorus in 2014 following a 25-year break from singing after leaving Christ’s College Chapel Choir on graduation in 1988.

Since then, Elaine has managed a local charity and worked in the NHS and local government and now works full-time as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for a charitable trust.

Elaine is a proud alto in the chorus and also sings and plays keyboards in a local band. Elaine is very pleased to share the Chorus Registrar role with Jane Bower.

Jane Bower - Chorus Co-Secretary

Jane began singing in large choirs at the age of 14, and joined the Phil as an alto in 1991.

She is now retired after forty years as a teacher, working throughout the UK and abroad as a specialist to primary schools in visual art, drama, dance, and creative writing. She is now focusing on talks, solo performance of her plays, spoken word and writing poems, stories, songs and hymns.

Her passions include staying in quirky architecture and entering competitions.

Neil Caplan - Assistant Treasurer & Ticketing manager

Neil works as a Research Chemist, many years ago he obtained a PhD from Sheffield University. He has been in Cambridge for over 20 years and sung bass Cambridge Phil for over 20 years. Having served as treasurer for a lot of that time, he now does assistant treasurer and ticket sales.

When not at choir, he may often be found listening to evensong in any Cambridge college chapel or on a train somewhere in Europe or at the Sunderland Stadium of Light.

David Brown - Orchestra Fixer

David joined the Cambridge Philharmonic in 2022 as a member of the cello section when he also took on the role of Fixer for the orchestra.

David sings in the Cambridge University Symphony Chorus, and also enjoys playing chamber music in Cambridge.

David did his MA and PhD at Cambridge in Theoretical Physics, but left to pursue a career as a Consulting Actuary in London. David is now continuing his working career from the comfort of his home office in Cambridge.

chris wykes - marketing

Chris has played in the ‘Phil’ for many years. Following a career in Corporate Branding and Communications he is now as likely to be playing golf, road biking or raising money for Maggie’s new Cancer Support Centre at Addenbrookes, as he is to be playing the horn.

Lucy O'Brien - Orchestra Representative

Laura Simmons - Chorus representative

Originally hailing from Merseyside (and proud of it!), Laura joined the Cambridge Philharmonic in late 2019, but thanks to the pandemic didn’t actually get to attend a rehearsal until 2022. She more than makes up for her time away, singing soprano with the Phil’ as well as two local chamber choirs. In her day job, Laura works in science journalism. Her first experience of singing with a large choir was back in her university days at Imperial College London, where she obtained a degree in Biology and an MRes in Experimental Neuroscience.

Adrienne jackson - Concert Manager

Adrienne freelanced with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and London Philharmonia upon leaving the RNCM. She became Artist in Residence of the RNCM combining her dual interests in Oli painting and flute playing. She took a performing career break when her family expanded rapidly to include a husband and 4 children and vered into flute specialist teaching at Wells Cathedral School and Clifton College, Bristol.

Upon relocating to Bremen, then Krefeld /Monechengladbach Germany, she continued exhibiting and selling her work while juggling freelance concerts, exhibitions, music outreach work with the local schools and engaging in the German culture.

Back in Cambridge since 2012, Adrienne teaches students preparing for Conservatoir auditions and graded exams while painting in her studio. She’s played flute with the Cambridge Phil since 2013.

Sarah sharrock - Concert Manager

Sarah started playing the double-bass aged 10 (thanks to an amazing music department at Norfolk County Council) and quickly realised what a great instrument it was – you are always in demand, and can play across the spectrum of classical, jazz and rock. However, she believes passionately in spot-on tuning and musicality for basses, and totally rejects the old joke that you only need to have a double bass to get into orchestras, and that being able to play it is an advantage!

She played in the National Youth Orchestra for four years, being co-principle bass for three of those years. During this time she played in four Prom concerts, under conductors including Pierre Boulez, Sir Charles Groves, Vernon Handley and Chris Seaman.

Subsequently Sarah has been an enthusiastic amateur bass player, with the Kensington Philharmonic in London, before moving to Cambridge and joining the Cambridge Philharmonic.

Nikki Goldup - Marketing Coordinator

Nikki’s professional practice spans the breadth of educator, visual artist and marketing consultant. Following her degree in Textiles (University of Ulster, First Class (hons), she has worked in a range of educational roles and exhibited her work internationally at galleries and institutions such as Cambridge University, V&A, The Halifax Museum, MAC (Midlands Arts Centre) & World of Wearable Art (New Zealand). Her photographic work has been featured in many publications to critical acclaim.

Nikki continued her studies at Cambridge University, gaining an MPhil in Arts & Culture in Education (2008). This experience has led her to specialise in developing and leading arts-based initiatives that focus on community integration by the development of social capital, empathy, making and creative thinking. She brings this wide range of skills together when implementing marketing and PR strategy for a range of clients across the arts. Her interest in engaging new audiences and how the arts can provide voice, collaboration and opportunities to communities are at the forefront of her work in this area. www.blackandwhitecreative.co.uk