About the artists:

Richard Bamping (cello)

Richard Bamping has studied with many distinguished cellists including Ralph Kirschbaum, Paul Tortelier, David Geringas, Janos Starker and Steven Isserlis. In the field of chamber music, he has studied with the Amadeus, Alban Berg, Delme, Takacs and Allegri String Quartets. Richard has performed with the Philharmonia, the Royal Philharmonic and the European Community Chamber Orchestras, and he was Principal 'Cellist with the London Soloists' Chamber Orchestra for four years. Since 1993 he has been Principal Cellist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Richard plays a 1674 Guarneri cello.

Elaine Cheung (violin)

Elaine Cheung began studying the violin at the age of five with Rafail Sobolevsky, formerly Professor of Violin at the Moscow Conservatory. She later studied with Yakov Boroditsky, formerly Professor of Violin at the Moscow Institute of Music, and Harry Taub, Associate Concertmaster Emeritus of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. A graduate of University of Leicester Medical School, Elaine holds a Performer's Certificate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In addition to maintaining several well-known websites about classical music, she is currently Programme Coordinator of the Hong Kong Chamber Music Society.

Elizabeth Coupe (soprano)

Born in England, Elizabeth Coupe read Law at Cambridge University and was awarded a choral exhibition by Queens' College. Whilst pursuing a legal career, she studied singing with Honor Sheppard and later with Emma Kirkby's teacher, Jessica Cash. She sang in several leading chamber choirs in England including the Monteverdi Choir directed by John Eliot Gardiner. Elizabeth's legal career has taken her to Hong Kong and Japan where she has continued to sing both as a soloist and in chamber choirs. A finalist in the 1998 Hong Kong Pro Musicis Foundation Award, she has appeared as a soloist with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong and with the Hong Kong Bach Choir.

Jonathan Douglas (piano)

Jonathan Douglas is known to RTHK listeners as the host of classical music and arts programmes. He is frequently invited to MC arts and music events. For several years he directed RTHK radio drama productions for the International WorldPlay Festival. He has acted in plays by Shakespeare, Chekov, Pinter and others. Jonathan is also a self-taught pianist and singer-song writer. Recent music performances include his Accompanying Colour' or piano and lighting, and his Angst for Adults earlier this year.

Shelagh Heath (cello)

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Shelagh Heath studied cello at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Junior Department in Glasgow and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Her teachers included Alexander Baillie, Douglas Cummings, Jennifer Ward Clarke (baroque and modern cello,) Beth Macdonald and Patricia Hair. She was highly commended in the May Mukle Concerto Prize and won prizes in the Croft Early Music Competition. Shelagh was Principal Cellist with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and Principal Cellist of Camerata Scotland. She joined the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1995 and from 2003 to 2005 she performed with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. She has been a member of the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong since 2005. 

Warren Lee (piano)

Warren Lee made his debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of six. At the 1995 Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition he won First Prize as well as the special award "Grand Prix Ivo Pogorelich". At sixteen, he entered the Royal Academy of Music in London on an ABRSM Full Scholarship. He was later recruited into Yale's graduate School of Music by Prof. Boris Berman. In 2000, Warren graduated from both institutions with top honours and prizes. He now teaches at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (EOS Orchestra Academy), The University of Hong Kong (SPACE) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Leanne Nicholls (oboe)

Leanne Nicholls studied oboe in her native Australia with Jiri Tancibudek, former principal oboist of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and in Germany with Hans Elhorst, assistant teacher to Heinz Holliger. She graduated from the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide with first class honours in performance and won First Prize in the 1988 Adelaide Eisteddfod Non-Keyboard Concerto Competition. From 1983 to 1989 she performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra and the State Opera Orchestra of South Australia. In Hong Kong, she has been active as a soloist, an orchestral player, a teacher, and a radio presenter. In 1999 Leanne founded the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong and currently leads a demanding schedule as its Executive & Artistic Director and principal oboist.

Andrew Simon (clarinet)

A graduate of The Juilliard School and winner of the International Clarinet Society Competition and the Artists International Young Musicians Auditions Clarinet Award, Andrew Simon has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared on radio and television broadcasts around the world. He is currently Principal Clarinet of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

Adrian Yeung (piano)

Adrian Yeung began studying the piano at the age of seven. He has obtained the ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) diploma in Piano Performance. In 2005, he was awarded the title "Musician of the Year" at King George V School. One of the first students in Hong Kong to win a full-tuition Disney Scholarship, Adrian is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under the tutelage of Gabriel Kwok.

Andrea Zanchetta (violin)

Andrea Zanchetta graduated from the State Conservatory of Venice with high distinction in violin, string quartet and chamber music performance. To date, Andrea has given over 1,500 performances as soloist and chamber musician, appearing in Europe, Asia and Australia. He has won prizes at international competitions such as the Premio Gorizia in Italy. His teachers and mentors include Zinaida Gilels and Henryk Szeryng. Andrea has recorded 12 CD's for the Rivoalto and Nuova Era labels.

Ariele Zanini (piano)

Born in France, Ariele Zanini obtained First Prize in piano accompaniment in 1995 at the National Superior Conservatory of Lyon .She trained and conducted a light opera company and has toured the world with a choir group. Established in Hong Kong since 1996, Ariele is the regular French coach for lyric singers at the Academy for Performing Arts and at The Music and Drama Institute. She regularly performs with lyric singers and has performed with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong since 2006.