Players > Information > Edinburgh Quartet

Tristan Gurney, violin: Tristan Gurney studied the violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, with Yossi Zivoni and then at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, with Lorand Fenyves. Whilst at college, Tristan won numerous solo and chamber music prizes. He was also a leader and soloist with the RNCM orchestras and led the Gurney Quartet, who performed widely across the country, appearing at many prestigious festivals, including the BBC Proms Composer Portraits series, where they were broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. In 2002, Tristan began his professional career with a First Violin position in Northern Sinfonia, before joining the Edinburgh Quartet in 2007. In addition to his work with the quartet, Tristan regularly gives concerto and recital performances around the UK and is the Head of Strings at The University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He plays on a Ferdinand Gagliano violin.

Gordon Bragg, violin: Gordon graduated in violin performance from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with first class honours, studying violin with Simon Fischer. He participated in masterclasses with members of the Amadeus and Takacs quartets, and an Erasmus exchange to the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He was also invited to participate in the International Musician’s Seminar at Prussia Cove. Gordon was concertmaster of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and has been a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra. He was also a founder member of the Maxwell Quartet. Gordon is also active as a conductor. Following studies in Manchester and Zurich, Gordon has conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Bayerische Kammer-philharmonie, Goettingen Symphonie Orchester and acted as assistant to Donald Runnicles at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Jessica Beeston, viola: Jessica Beeston studied violin at the Guildhall School of Music with David Takeno and Krysia Osostowicz, and viola at the Mozarteum, Salzburg, with Thomas Riebl. She received a first class Masters degree from the Mozarteum and was awarded scholarships to study by the Countess of Munster Trust, the Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship, the Cross Trust and the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund. As a student Jessica won the Waddell memorial prize for strings and was a soloist in the 2009 ROSL strings competition. She became a member of Live Music Now with pianist Andrew Johnston, the Nephele Ensemble, recent winners of the Tunnell Trust award, and participated in the Prussia Cove master classes and the Mendelssohn on Mull chamber festival.

Mark Bailey, 'cello: Mark Bailey studied at the Royal College of Music on a Foundation Scholarship where he won all the major cello prizes. On leaving in 1978, he was invited by Paul Tortelier to study with him for two years in Nice with scholoarships from the French Government, the Countess of Munster Trust and the Suggia Trust. He was subsequently sub-principal cellist of the English National Opera for four years before joining the Edinburgh Quartet. His cello is by Jacques Camurat (1989).