Ammal Bhatia

Ammal Bhatia is a conductor, violinist, violist and recent graduate from the Royal Northern College of Music. Ammal has learnt privately with Peter Stark and Sian Edwards and trained as a violinist with Steve Wilkie. Recent highlights include conducting for Classic FM, being accepted as a finalist for the second International Lake Como Conducting Competition, working with  award-winning violinist Magdalena Reidl, and award-winning composer Samuel Kane. Ammal established his own orchestra in May 2021, and is the Artistic Director and Founder of the Carme Ensemble. This project-by-project orchestra based in Manchester has received high praise and multiple awards. Ammal is a frequent guest conductor with youth, amateur and semi-professional groups around the UK. Ammal has also received world class tuition from Mark Heron, Clark Rundell, Ben Gernon and Manoj Kamps. Ammal have 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 was recently awarded a place as assistant conductor to Toby Purser on Vienna Opera Academy.

 

Ammal has played with Chineke! Orchestra, 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. As a page turner, Ammal has turned for Jordi Bittloch, Roddy Barrand, Ben Powel, Harvey Davies, and Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Ammal is also guest principal bass of the Camerata Players.

 

Ammal is delighted to be co-director for the Enys Chamber Music Festival.