About the Guillami String Quartet
The Guillami String Quartet formed in 1998 and is in demand for recital appearances across the country. In the summer of 2000 they were awarded the Belmont Trust Award and were recipients of the prestigious Bulldog Scholarship for String Quartets from Trinity College of Music for two consecutive years (2000-2002). The Guillami String Quartet were finalists in the 2002 Royal Overseas League Competition, and has held residencies with both the Ludlow Festival and Eastbourne Arts Centre. In addition to their many appearances at the Ludlow Festival (where to date the quartet has given 18 recitals) the Guillami has also featured in the Festivals at Brighton, Battle, Hampstead and Highgate, Lewes, Isfield and for the Northern Aldborough Festival. In 2002 the quartet was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to perform the Arthur Bliss String Quartet No.1 to Lady Bliss in a private performance at her home. In 2004 the quartet gave the closing recital of the series for the Oxford Chamber Music Society performing in the Holywell Music Room and in 2005 performed a series of Beethoven String Quartet events at the Purcell Room, London. They have performed at venues across the UK including recitals at St Martin in the Fields, St James’ Piccadilly, Chapel Royal Brighton, Charlton House, ‘The Space’ in Docklands, Charlecote Park, Dartington Hall, St George RC Cathedral Southwark, Royal Naval College Chapel Greenwich, Netherhall House and the Medieval Hall Salisbury. The Guillami is also a great favourite with Chamber Music Societies performing in Luton, Seaford, Farnborough, for the Funtington Music Group in Chichester, the City Music Society in London and for the Nicholas Yonge Society in Lewes. Their debut CD features works by Mozart, Walton and Shostakovich.
Helen Davies studied with Erich Gruenberg and Howard Davis as an exhibition scholar at the Royal Academy of Music. She regularly appears as concerto soloist at St Martin in the Fields. She is leader of the Trafalgar Sinfonia and member and guest principal of Belmont Ensemble of London and London Musical Arts Orchestra. Helen was a recipient of a prestigious Winston Churchill Trust Fellowship for the Year 2000 allowing her to further her studies both in performance and teaching in New York.
Richard Smith studied with Phillipe Graffin and Rodney Friend as a Countess of Munster Scholar at the Royal College of Music. He plays in the Mezin Trio, Auriga Strings, London Trio and freelances with many of the country’s finest orchestras as well as coaching, teaching and giving masterclasses. In 2009/2010 Richard toured extensively in Canada, USA and Europe performing Star Wars in Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.
Nicholas Bootiman was born in Germany to English parents. He attended the Purcell School, Royal College of Music, Academy of performing arts in Prague and New England Conservatory in Boston. His teachers were Ian Jewel, Milan Skampa and Kim Kashkashian. He is currently a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Daniel Keane is currently working as a Cellist & Jazz Pianist. He has worked in all genres of music which have taken him on tours in the US and Europe and has made several TV and Radio appearances. In addition to his instrumental work he also works as a composer/arranger for major record labels as well as his own original projects.
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