Who's Who

Dr Handley was appointed Principal Conductor of the ESO in January 2007.

Wikipedia has a page with more on Vernon's career and achievements.

Michael Bochmann, ESO Concert Master, was brought up in Turkey and England.

As a student he was a prize-winner in the 1972 Carl Flesch International Violin Competition and the Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris.

He studied with Frederick Grinke and also received lessons from Sándor Végh and Henryk Szeryung. At 19, he made his first solo broadcasts for the BBC.

Michael formed the Bochmann Quartet in 1977 and they made over 50 broadcasts within the next 10 years. In February 1990 he partnered Sir Yehudi Menhuin in the Bach Double Violin Concerto on a 16-concert tour of the USA and Canada.

He frequently directs the English String Orchestra and has performed as soloist with them many times in the UK and abroad. His recording with ESO of The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams has been broadcast many times on Radio 3 and Classic FM.

In the last two years he has performed and taught in Mexico, South Africa, Spain, France, Portugal, Germany and Italy.