LSO Discovery

Naoko Keatley
^violin

Naoko Keatley made her debut performance as soloist with the Sydney Youth Orchestra at the age of eight, and has since performed in venues around the world, including Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House and Queen Elizabeth Hall. She joined the LSO in 2014, having been in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for five years before that, and also has a busy freelance career in London. Naoko lives with her husband Niall, also in the LSO, and their two-year-old daughter.

Alix Lagasse
^violin

Born in Antwerp in 1991, Alix Lagasse graduated from the Artist Diploma Course at the Royal College of Music with Itzhak Rashkovsky in 2017, after completing her Masters degree there. She was awarded the Worshipful Musicians Company Silver Medal for her outstanding musical achievements and her ongoing dedication to the RCM. Alix has won several prizes in international competitions. She became a laureate in the Lions European Musical Competition and won first prize in the Belgian Dexia Classics Competition. With her duo partner Maria Tarasewicz, Alix continues to gives recitals across the UK and the continent.

Mitzi Gardner
^violin

Australian violinist Mitzi Gardner is currently in her final year of her undergraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London, holding a Helen Worswick Scholarship under the tutelage of violinist Levon Chilingirian. She has previously studied with Professor Goetz Richter and Janet Davies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Mitzi is currently on the LSO String Experience Scheme, and previously had the pleasure of being an Ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation. In the last three years, Mitzi has reached the finals of the Australian Music Foundation Competition, being awarded scholarships each time.

Mitzi has also done a large amount of extra work with the LSO. At the Royal Academy, Mitzi has enjoyed performing with the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras led by conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Trevor Pinnock, Edward Gardner and John Wilson. Mitzi is delighted to have been offered a place and scholarship at the RAM to continue studying there for her Masters degree.

Joonas Pekonen
^violin

Joonas Pekonen is a violinist from Finland, currently based in London. After completing his bachelor's degree at the Sibelius Academy with Tero Latvala, he continued his studies with Krysia Osostowicz at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Joonas has appeared in festivals such as the IMS Prussia Cove 'Open Chamber' in the UK, and Sounds of Luosto Festival and Fiskars Summer Music in Finland. In 2022 he was selected to the LSO String Experience Scheme.

Joonas plays on an Anonymous Antonio Stradivari 1699 violin, generously loaned to him by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Malcolm Johnston
^viola

Malcolm Johnston earned his Bachelor’s degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and continued his post-graduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

In 1992 Malcolm became violist with the Amernet String Quartet in the USA, with whom he played for four years. The quartet won numerous major awards, including the Gold Medal at the 1992 Tokyo International Chamber Music Competition. More recently he has worked as guest violist with the Leopold String Trio at the Edinburgh Festival and the Snape Proms and also participated in the Chamber Music Series at the Wigmore Hall with the LPO Chamber Players.

Peteris Sokolovskis
^cello

Latvian cellist Peteris Sokolovskis enjoys a freelance career as a chamber musician, orchestral player and very occasionally a soloist. Recently Peteris performed Dvořák's Cello Concerto with the Barnet Symphony Orchestra and Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Corinthian Chamber Orchestra. As Guest Principal Peteris has played with the Netherlands Philharmonic and Trondheim Symphony Orchestras. He has played with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Aurora Orchestra. Peteris was a member of Kremerata Baltica for several years, touring extensively throughout Europe, North and South Americas and Asia.

As a chamber musician Peteris has performed in festivals in Europe and South America. Peteris is a regular teacher at the Oxford Cello School and La Mariette Junior Course in France and he regularly works with the LSO Discovery programmes and Multi-Story Orchestra.

Tom Goodman
^{double bass}

Tom Goodman studied at the Royal Northern College of Music where he was the recipient of numerous awards. Shortly after graduating he joined the LSO in 2001. Tom is a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music and is highly sought after as a teacher. He helped to establish the Bass Department at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and also taught at Chetham's School of Music.

Chamber music is also a huge passion and most recently Tom played with the Nash Ensemble live on BBC Radio 3 at the Wigmore Hall and also with London Sinfonietta. During 2011, Tom briefly accepted Section Principal Double Bass with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and regularly enjoys being invited to play Guest Principal Bass with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC NOW, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia, Aurora and John Wilson.

Philip Moore
^piano

Philip Moore studied at the Royal Academy of Music, was appointed an Associate of the RAM in 2003 and in 2004 became a Steinway Artist. He has performed throughout Europe, America and the Far East, appearing as concerto soloist with the Hallé, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Philharmonia Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the Colin Currie Group, the former pianist of the Hebrides Ensemble, and has worked with many international artists, giving duo, chamber music and orchestral performances and broadcasts with ensembles including the Nash Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, LSO Percussion Ensemble, ECO Ensemble, Ensemble 360, and all of the London-based orchestras.

In 2017 he joined LSO under Sir Simon Rattle for his inaugural concerts, playing Stravinsky's Petrushka in London and Paris. His piano duo with Simon Crawford-Phillips has given world premieres of concertos by Detlev Glanert and Anna Meredith (at the BBC Proms); and Steve Reich’s Quartet, at the Royal Festival Hall, Carnegie Hall (listed as one of The Ten Best Classical Performances of 2014 by New York Magazine), and other leading international venues. Their recording for Nonesuch was one of Andrew Clement’s Top 10 classical releases of 2018 in the Guardian.

Finan Jones
^conductor

FinanJones started conducting while he was a bassoon student at Guildhall School. He formed an orchestra of fellow undergraduates to take performances into primary schools in central London. This led to a conducting fellowship at Guildhall where he assisted on orchestral projects, operas and developed more performances for young people. 

Since graduating Finan has been involved in a number of prestigious training schemes, including being selected as a conducting scholar at the Dartington Festival and as the assistant conductor for British Youth Opera's 2021 production at Opera Holland Park. 

Recent highlights for Finan include assisting on a CD of Jonathan Dove's orchestral music, premiering Sane and Sound, an opera dealing with the composer Matt Geer's experiences living with schizoaffective disorder, and as part of the BYO scheme, conducting the final performance of their 2021 season at Holland Park. 

Sarah Quinn
^presenter

Born in Dublin, Sarah Quinn began playing the violin at the age of eight. Keen to pursue a career in music, she moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music, where she was the recipient of many awards and prizes. Whilst a student at the RCM, Sarah was awarded a place on the LSO String Experience scheme. Sarah joined the LSO in 1998 having graduated from the RCM with distinction.

In addition to her busy schedule at the LSO, Sarah is in demand as a teacher and regularly tutors at the RCM, RAM and GSMD. She has also worked extensively with youth orchestras and is passionate about working with young musicians. Sarah is regularly involved with all aspects of LSO Discovery, working in schools and in the community. Sarah has also served as a Director on the Board of the LSO.