Tutors

‘First class tuition from tutor of highest calibre and learned lots, thoroughly enjoyed it’

NORVIS is renowned for its generous provision of wonderful tutors.

NORVIS tutors in 2025

Dr Andrew Fowler – Musical Director

Andrew Fowler discovered crumhorns and recorders whilst at school, sparking a lifelong passion for ensemble music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He is known for his imaginative teaching and his creative approach to concert programming, bringing the joy of little-known musical jewels to students and audiences on viols, recorders and voices (and the occasional very loud reed instrument). Tutor at NORVIS for many years, Andrew became Musical Director in 2017.

Chris Orton – recorder, Tutor Organiser

Chris Orton is active as a recorder player, conductor and teacher of Dalcroze Eurhythmics. He studied recorder at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Ross Winters and Annabel Knight, and with Anneke Boeke in Amsterdam, and orchestral conducting with Jordi Mora at L’Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya in Barcelona. Currently Chris is the Artistic Director of the National Youth Recorder Orchestras, runs the recorder departments at the Royal Northern College of Music Junior and Senior schools, Chetham’s School of Music and is a visiting tutor at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. He is the chair of ERTA UK (European Recorder Teacher’s Association). Chris also enjoys Tai Chi and running. (link)

Chris also the Tutor Organiser, the person to speak to about classes and tutors.

Alison Kinder – viol

Alison Kinder read music at Oxford and then studied viol at Trinity College of Music. She now plays with various ensembles including Chelys consort of viols. Alison is a keen teacher of both adults and children, teaching on a number of early music courses and running the Rondo Viol Academy with friend and colleague Jacqui Robertson-Wade. (link)

Annabel Knight – Baroque flute

The distinguished recorder teacher and performer, Annabel Knight, is passionate about teaching the recorder. She runs the recorder department at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, as well as teaching individuals and groups at all levels. She performs with the baroque ensemble Passacaglia and the recorder consort Fontanella, and has made numerous recordings. She specialises in early music but enjoys exploring more modern music, including avant-garde recorder and electronic music. (link)

Oonagh Lee – recorder

Oonagh Lee is an historical oboist and recorder player. Based in London she works with recorder quintet Consortium5 and is a regular performer with numerous period orchestras and ensembles across Europe, including the Orchestra of the 18th Century, Academy of Ancient Music and Dunedin Consort. When not making music, Oonagh enjoys nothing more than eating ice cream and engaging in any mildly perilous outdoor activity. (link)

Richard MacKenzie – lute, theorbo, early guitar

Richard MacKenzie is a sought-after soloist and collaborative artist on early and classical guitars and lutes. His collaborations have included The Sixteen, The King’s Consort, The Hanover Band, Ex Cathedra, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The City Waites, The Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe (seven productions and multiple workshops). Since completing a degree in music at The Queen’s College, Oxford, Richard has seen the release of two acclaimed solo albums; ‘Il Rossetto’ and ‘The Parisian Delight’. He has performed at every major British early music festival, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ and ‘Lunchtime Concert’ series on multiple occasions. (Youtube link)(link2)

Susanna Pell – viol

Susanna Pell was a member of the viol consort Fretwork and played with the Dufay Collective for over twenty years. With these and other prominent ensembles, she has toured worldwide, made many discs and recorded for radio, film and TV. She now lives in Richmond, North Yorkshire, and teaches viol at Durham University and the University of York. (link1) (link2) (link3)

Jacqui Robertson-Wade – solo bass viol

Jacqui Robertson-Wade is passionate about playing and teaching the bass viol, her performances ranging from Couperin to contemporary music with pop group DC Fontana. She regularly coaches viol consorts across the UK. Jacqui also runs Rondo Viol Academy Courses during the year and writes viol tutors and other publications dedicated to learning the viola da gamba for Rondo Publishing. (link) (link) (link)

Jane Rumney – recorder

Jane Rumney first heard a recorder played professionally when she was 25, and she decided it was the most wonderful sound she had ever heard! She studied with a number of inspirational teachers including Alan Davis. Since having her family she has taught many hundreds of children and adults to play recorder through her Sounds Fun music classes. As a teacher, Jane loves to communicate her understanding of recorder technique to all ages and levels of player.

John Treherne MBE – harpsichord (and harpsichord technician)

John’s career has included university lectureships, heading Gateshead’s outstanding Music Service for over 30 years, and performing throughout Europe and the Americas as a specialist on period keyboard instruments.
He is active as a composer. He has recorded with his ensemble Concert Royal and as a soloist. He directed Gateshead Youth Orchestra for over twenty years, organising 19 overseas tours. He is artistic director of the William Shield Festival. ABRSM examining work takes him regularly to Ireland, Scotland and across the North of England.
Hobbies include travel, football, reading, collecting and restoring old pianos and looking after three grandchildren, all of whom show musical potential!
He was awarded the MBE in 2006 for services to music education. (link)

Mary Tyers – recorder

Mary Tyers is a recorder player and teacher, flautist and vocalist based in north-east England who performs with chamber groups and period orchestras in venues including Sage Gateshead, Durham Cathedral and Early Music Centre, York. She also performs regularly in the Midlands and the north-west with Baroque in the North and with the trio sonata groups, Sound Historical and Eden Baroque and has recently formed a duo partnership Hardy/Tyers with folk fiddler Stewart Hardy. She particularly loves teaching enthusiastic adult amateurs and in addition to her private practice is in demand to lead workshops, playing days and residential music weekends. (link)

Peter Wendland – viol, recorder

Peter is a highly experienced, accomplished, versatile and sensitive performer and teacher on all instruments of the viol and recorder family. As a musician, he has performed among others with Charivari Agreeable , the Rose Consort of Viols and the King’s Singers. As a specialist in early music he has coached and performed with ensembles ranging from viol consorts, choirs and recorder ensembles to renaissance wind bands. When teaching Peter is aiming for a very exciting journey on the path to understand the emotions and expression of the music. (link)

Tim Harper – accompanist, keyboard continuo

Tim Harper has been Assistant Director of Music at Ripon Cathedral since 2014. Alongside his cathedral duties, he enjoys recital, accompanying and continuo work; he is also accompanist to Ripon Choral Society and the early music course NORVIS. An interest in jazz keeps his improvisational instincts exercised, while also finding employment in settings as diverse as boat, restaurant, funeral, Spain, Harrogate, organ recitals, and jazz Eucharists at St Paul’s Cathedral. In 2016 he developed an interest in transcription through his arrangement of A Colour Symphony by Arthur Bliss, while in 2020 he ventured into YouTube online recitals with his Six Sixes series from Ripon Cathedral.

He trained as organ scholar successively at St Barnabas Church, Dulwich, Clare College, Cambridge, Canterbury Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral; as a pupil of David Sanger, he gained the major prizes at ARCO and FRCO and was subsequently awarded the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. In 2010 he was appointed Assistant Director of Music at Birmingham Cathedral. During these years, he appeared with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Ex Cathedra and the Birmingham Bach Choir, while studying organ with Andrew Fletcher and singing with Matthew Venner. (link)

Former Musical Directors:

NORVIS’s Founders were the late LAYTON (Musical Director until 2002) and CHRISTINE RING (Tutor Organiser), who both passed away in 2019.
They were followed, until 2016, by Musical Director RALPH WOODWARD.

Andrew Fowler & NORVIS founder, Layton Ring.

Other tutors from time to time:

Louise Bradbury – recorder

Lou Bradbury enjoys a rich and varied career as a performer and educationalist, for which she has been elected an Associate member of the Royal Academy of Music. With Fontanella and Passacaglia, Lou has enjoyed the privilege of performing in some of the UK and Europe’s leading venues and festivals. She has broadcast on numerous occasions on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and BBC TV including providing baroque music for Mark Gatiss’s “Martin’s Close” on BBC Four. Lou is supported by the Royal Philharmonic Society Enterprise Fund in association with Harriet’s Trust. Lou’s desire to encourage young recorder players has led to her teaching at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, several universities and the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In addition to performing, Lou is director of Little Notes, providing music workshops for families across the UK and in Amsterdam. She leads a strong private teaching practice which includes a number of adult players and chamber ensembles. (link)

Nathaniel Mander – harpsichord

Nathaniel Mander is an early keyboard specialist known for his expressive, elegant and virtuosic style. His most recent recording, a performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations received brilliant reviews across the board, and he was awarded the highest accolade: a 10 star review by Dutch specialist classical music magazine Luister. Nathaniel has devoted himself to the instruments and style of the 18th century after hearing the harpsichord on the radio in his youth. He was entranced by the sound and inspired by the bold and brilliant style of the Baroque and Rococo periods. He started having lessons with Richard Lester in Cirencester where he gave his first solo recitals in his teens, before moving to London to train at the Royal Academy of Music with Carole Cerasi. He is now recognised as one of the leading keyboard artists of his generation and has performed across the world as both harpsichordist and fortepianist. Alongside his poetic and passionate performances, he always enjoys introducing the music that he plays in his own personal, light style. (LINK)