Photo: Inis Oirr Asano Stefan Rogers is a Manchester based cellist who completed his bachelor’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2022 where he studied under Nicholas Trygstad. At the RNCM, Stefan took part in concerts with college orchestras and ensembles and had the opportunity to work with many internationally acclaimed musicians including: Martyn Brabbins, Lucy Gould, and Anna Lapwood. He has also as a soloist performed in masterclasses with: Matthew Sharp, Hannah Roberts and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. As of September of 2019, he has been a member of the Franco-Mendés Quartet who have received tuition from members of some of the world’s leading chamber ensembles including: The Elias Quartet, and the Chilingirian Quartet and Trio Karénine both inside and outside of the RNCM, and have been finalists in all of the RNCM’s quartet competitions. Stefan previously studied cello at Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama, with Gillian Thoday and Selma Gokcen. At Junior Guildhall he also was fortunate to receive tuition in composition with Michael Christie, and conducting with Scott Wilson. It was during this time Stefan was first able to appear on stage as a conductor, with his first experience of orchestral conducting being in 2017 performing Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto in A minor with Cambridgeshire County Youth Orchestra. In recent years Stefan has been studying conducting privately with Peter Stark and made the first recording of Nikolai Roslavets’ 1st Symphony February 2022 with an orchestra formed of students from the RNCM. ​ Stefan currently plays on a 2017 cello by Robin Aitchison modelled on the Marquis De Corbeyran Stradivarius.

Ammal Bhatia is a conductor, violinist, and recent graduate from the Royal Northern College of Music. Ammal is a student of Sian Edwards and Peter Stark and trained as a violinist with Steve Wilkie. Passionate about contemporary music, Ammal has worked with the London Sinfonietta, and he is the conductor of the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group NEXT Programme 23/24. Ammal is a laureate of the Second Lake Como International Conducting Competition and 2023 Bucharest Music Institute Conducting Competition. Ammal established his own orchestra in May 2021, the Carme Ensemble, and is the Artistic Director and Conductor. This project-by-project orchestra based in Manchester has received high praise and multiple awards, including appearing on Classic FM. A keen opera conductor, Ammal will be assisting Opera Holland Park this season in their productions of Il segreto di Susanna and The Yeoman of the Guard. Additionally, Ammal was recently awarded a place as assistant conductor to Toby Purser on Vienna Opera Academy. Ammal has also received world class tuition from Mark Heron, Clark Rundell, Ben Gernon and Manoj Kamps. Ammal has been privileged to assist Henk Guittart and observe Sir Mark Elder, Antony Hermus, and Martin Brabbyns. Just at home in the studio as well as the concert hall, Ammal has recorded with multiple groups, including the Carme Ensemble. Ammal conducts St Albans Philomusica Youth Orchestra and a variety of groups with the Centre for Young Musicians. Ammal is a frequent guest conductor with youth, amateur and semi-professional groups around the UK. In addition to this, Ammal has been personally mentored by Adam Szabo, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Manchester Collective. Ammal plays with Chineke! Orchestra (most recently at their BBC Prom and appearing as guest leader for the Harvey Parker memorial concert), and side-by-side projects with Manchester Collective and the Hallé. He co-founded the Franco-Mendes Quartet when at the RNCM. The Quartet has received high praise for their daring and contemporary performance style, and they have been fortunate enough to study with the Elias Quartet, Trio Gaspard and Magnus Johnston. He is also Co-Director of the Enys Chamber Music Festival.