Leader

CLIVE HOBDAY

Clive Hobday started learning the violin in Hereford and was soon playing in most of the county's orchestral, choral and operatic society's performances.

After studying with Hugh Bean at the Royal College of Music, during which time he played with the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, under the late Vernon Handley, and co-led the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra under John Aldiss, Clive's principal gainful employment was successfully with the Academy of the BBC, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and, until 2006, the BBC Concert Orchestra

During this time, he played as a freelance with several other professional groups, including BBC Scottish Radio, London Concert, Mozart Festival and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestras as well as The Light Touch (appearing on live television and radio) and the Bussereau String Quartet giving recitals in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire areas.  He has also played for West End shows such as Evita, for d'Oyly Carte and co-let the Ratepayer's Iolanthe

Throughout, Clive has played, led, guest led, coached and occasionally conducted a plethora of amateur and semi-professional orchestras in the north and northwest London and neighbouring areas, as well as coaching chamber music groups privately on courses here and in France.

Love of travelling, especially in South-East Asia has resulted over the last 15 years in several visits to Thailand as coach and guest leader of the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (most recently under Mikhail Pletnev) and coaching the Thailand Youth Orchestra at Chulalongkorn University.

The resultant repertoire is extremely broad - from Madam Butterfly to Call Me Madam, Monteverdi to Moncayo, Brahms to Bacharach, Thais to Thai folk and pop songs, film and TV soundtracks, in addition ton the standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire.