Ros Stephen

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Ros StephenRos is a violinist, composer, arranger and author based in London. She is a founder member of the tango ensemble Tango Siempre with whom she has recorded several critically acclaimed CDs and toured extensively to major venues throughout the UK and Europe. She was co-musical director on the hit show ‘Midnight Tango’ (featuring Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone from Strictly Come Dancing) for three years, and was solo violinist in the show for two West-end runs and three tours of the UK. Ros also leads the Sigamos String Quartet, which has recorded her compositions and arrangements for a wide variety of pop and jazz projects, including critically acclaimed albums with Robert Wyatt and Gilad Atzmon. The quartet has performed live for Radio 3 In Tune and their recordings have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4 including Late Junction, Front Row and Jazz on 3.

Ros is very committed to educational work as a teacher, composer and author. Several of her compositions have been included in the recent ABRSM string and wind syllabus, including pieces published in the Grade 1 violin and flute books. She is the author of the award-winning “Globetrotters” series, published by Oxford University Press, which are books of original compositions in styles from around the world for early grade instrumentalists. She has also written several books for the Schott World Music Series. Ros is currently working on a violin method for older beginners called “Violinworks”, which will be published in two volumes by Oxford University Press in August 2016 (www.violin-works.com).

Ros lives in East London with her partner, bandoneonist Julian Rowlands, and her 2 year-old daughter.

Qualifications:

  • Degree (1st class hons) and PhD from Bristol University.

Recent performance and recording work:

  • Solo violinist with Tango Siempre (Tangomotion music and dance show 2000-present)
  • Solo violinist on soundtrack for Disney Nature’s ‘Born in China’, recorded in Abbey Road.
  • Performances with the Trafalgar Sinfonia at St Martin in the Fields (summer 2016).
  • Deputy violinist on Miss Saigon (West End, 2015-16).
  • Violinist (and deputy leader) in Sinatra at the Palladium (July-October 2015).
  • Violinist and co-musical director for Midnight Tango (West End and on tour 2011-2013).
  • Performing and arranging strings for singer Imogen Heap.
  • Recording and orchestrating strings for Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.
  • Performing and arranging “Bird with Strings” featuring Gilad Atzmon and the Sigamos String Quartet, performing at venues such as Ronnie Scotts and numerous International Jazz festivals.
  • Recording and arranging music for the acclaimed CD “For the Ghosts Within”, featuring Robert Wyatt, the Sigamos Quartet and Gilad Atzmon.
  • Freelance recording work, including numerous recordings for the award-winning film and TV composer Barnaby Taylor.
  • Recording for educational music publications including the CD for “Jazz on a Winter’s Night” and “Jazz in Autumn” with pianist Nikki Iles, and playing the violin parts on the CDs for the ‘Fiddle Time’ and ‘Solo Time’ series by Kathy and David Blackwell, published by Oxford University Press.

Recent television/radio performances:

  • Solo violinist on BBC Strictly Come Dancing
  • Solo violinist on ITV Surprise, Surprise
  • Tango violin performance and demonstration on the BBC CBeebies music programme ZingZillas.
  • Numerous live performances for Radio 3 In Tune.

Publications:

Awards:

  • 2011 Music Industries Association Educational Publication of the Year Award for “Violin Globetrotters”

Teaching work: Ros has been teaching the violin to students all ages and abilities since 1996, in schools and privately. She has run numerous educational workshops in schools, colleges and universities, including a major project for Creative Partnerships in Cornwall. Ros was a tutor for the East London Later Starters Orchestra (ELLSO) in summer 2016.