Members

Dylan Edge

Violin

Dylan Edge, raised in Staffordshire, started the violin aged 9 through Staffordshire Performing Arts. He went on to study under the tutelage of Catherine Yates at the Junior department of the Royal Northern College of Music. He furthered his studies at the RNCM, graduating with a First-Class Honours degree and a Masters with Distinction under the mentorship of Cecily Ward.

Whilst completing his masters studies, Dylan successfully trialed for the Hallé and became a member of the first violin section. As an orchestral musician, Dylan regularly freelances with the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata. He also plays with Manchester Collective and enjoyed joining them on their Weather and Fever Dreams Tours.

During his studies, Dylan won the Norman George Violin Scholarship and was highly commended in the RNCM Concerto Competition, leading to a performance of Glazunov’s Violin Concerto with the Stockport Symphony Orchestra. He has held principal positions in the RNCM Opera Orchestra, RNCM Chamber Orchestra and co-lead the RNCMxHalle Side by Side Project. In 2022, Dylan organised an afternoon of classical music at the Whitworth Art Gallery, championing queer composers as part of the (Un)Defining Queer exhibit at the gallery.

Dylan plays on a 1778 George Gemünder Violin. Asides from music, he enjoys trying out new cake recipes and teaching Nathan how to play scrabble.

Orla McGarrity

Violin

Orla McGarrity is an Irish violinist based in Manchester, where she graduated from the RNCM with both First-Class Honours Bachelors and Masters Degrees. She studied under James Clark, Cecily Ward and Pavel Fischer and has performed in masterclasses for Arabella Steinbacher, Nathaniel Vallois and Vera Vaidman. Orla is currently a Fellow on Manchester Camerata’s Ruth Sutton Scheme and is enjoying a busy freelancing career both in Manchester and at home in Northern Ireland. In 24/25 Orla was one of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble's Young Artists and has since gone on to perform with them and sit on their board.

Orla's love for curating chamber events led her to working as the Programming Assistant at the RNCM in 2022/23 and co-directing Enys Chamber Music Festival in Cornwall. She also enjoyed interning at Weesp Chamber Music Festival in the Netherlands and working as an ad hoc chamber music tutor at RNCM's Junior Department. Orla recently set up the Mourne Chamber Music Festival in Newcastle County Down which she plans to continue for years to come.

She plays on an 1810 Giuseppe Baldantoni violin generously loaned to her by the Harrison Frank Family Foundation and is grateful to be supported by Help Musicians and the William and Frances Dobie Charitable Foundation. When not playing violin, Orla can be found evicting slugs from her allotment or reading a good book.

Rebecca Stubbs

Viola

Rebecca is a violist from West Yorkshire. She completed her Master’s degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Vicci Wardman, Alex Mitchell and Susie Mészáros. Here she was awarded the RNCM Viola Prize and in 2022 became the Junior Fellow in Viola.

Rebecca regularly freelances with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the BBC Philharmonic and is one of this year’s Ruth Sutton Fellows at Manchester Camerata. She teaches upper strings and is a workshop coordinator at the North of England Centre for Music and Arts. Rebecca plays on a Niccolò viola by Chris Tayler. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys kickboxing and playing Dungeons and Dragons!

Nathan Jackson-Turner

Cello

Nathan has recently completed a masters in cello performance with Jen Langridge and Eddie Pogossian at the RNCM, where he also graduated from with a First-Class Honours degree. He has completed the BBC Philharmonic Professional Experience Scheme and the Hallé's String Leadership Scheme, leading to regular work within both orchestras. Nathan is one of Manchester Camerata’s Ruth Sutton Fellows for 25/26, working with the ensemble across all of their musical activity. With a keen interest in chamber music, Nathan has been fortunate to perform in the Hallé's annual chamber music series alongside members of the cello section.

Nathan is also a keen performer of baroque music, which he enjoys studying with Jonathan Manson and Roger Hamilton on a period instrument. He currently plays a Robin Aitchson Cello generously loaned to him by the RNCM. Outside of Music Nathan loves a long bike ride, beating Dylan at scrabble and plane spotting.