Lydia Shelley

Lydia is from London and began her cello studies with Eileen Croxford and at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She undertook both Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Hannah Roberts between 2002 and 2007, graduating with BMus (Hons) First Class and Distinction respectively.

In July 2009 she completed a two-year Masters degree at the Royal College of Music where she studied modern cello with Richard Lester and baroque and classical cello with Catherine Rimer, gaining an MMus with Distinction. Her studies have been supported by the Charles Hallé, Amaryllis Fleming, South Square Trust, Arts Club Charitable Trust and Musicians Benevolent Fund Education Awards, and most recently an Arts and Humanities Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship. In 2007 Lydia was awarded a place on the Professional Experience Scheme of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, with whom she continues to freelance.

In addition to her work with the Finzi Quartet, Lydia freelances with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Orchestra of St John's, the City of London Sinfonia, Sinfonia ViVa, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and English National Opera.