Paul Laidlaw

Piano & Musical Director.
Paul's talents are as a musician and actor with a range of productions to his credit. His 25-year career has seen him performing or directing shows on three great continents - travelling to Vienna, Canada and, his personal highlight, Africa. Whilst there he worked as Musical Director for a production of West Side Story. Paul is based in York so is well aware of the distinctive talent and music of the Spa Orchestra!

 

Diane Stewart

Cello.
Diane graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester then worked as a freelance cellist with the major orchestras in the North West and the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. She moved to Scarborough with her husband Steve - the bass player - when she joined the Spa Orchestra in 1997. When she is not performing Diane prefers to stay at home looking after their daughters, Natalie and Sophie.

 

Steve Costello

Double Bass.
Steve was born in Coventry and moved to Manchester to study double bass at the prestigious Chetham's School of Music. He graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music. From there Steve reluctantly spent a year playing in the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra before establishing a freelance career in the UK; this includes the Spa and Northern Ballet Theatre Orchestras. He still enjoys the occasional game of golf but his football career is now limited to shouting at the TV!

 

Kathryn Seabrook

Flute, Piccolo & Tenor Saxophone.
Kathy graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London having won the John Clifford Pettican Prize for orchestral playing. She has performed with the Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Touring Opera and English National Ballet Orchestras. Her solo repertoire includes concertos by Mozart and Nielsen and she is a founder member of the London Wind Quintet. Kathy now spends her time composing children's songs and running pre-school music sessions that are inspired by her sons, Danny, Adam and Ben.

 

Graham Quilter

Clarinet & Alto Saxophone.
Graham trained at Chetham's School of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, London and the National Centre for Orchestral Studies at Goldsmiths' College. His first break came whilst busking on the Underground; he has since performed with many UK orchestras including the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the Liverpool Philharmonic and the Welsh National Orchestra. Music has also taken him to the USA, Norway, Italy, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Graham enjoys squash, scuba diving and good whiskey. He is married to Kathy and delighted to now be a Scarborough resident.

  

Rick Scoates

Trombone.
From a Christmas Day debut in his Gran's lounge, Rick progressed to win the coveted Band Leader's position in the Sand Hurst Infants to his first TV performances 10 years later fronting his own Original Bash Band. He has developed a one-man show, The Time Travelling Trombonist, involving costume, sound track and audience participation. Rick has played with the Northern ballet Theatre Orchestra for 21 years and is married to Rachel Lee, cellist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

 

Mark Addison

Trumpet.
Mark has now played his second season with the Scarborough Spa Orchestra, and has quickly become popular with audiences and Orchestra members alike. Born in East Yorkshire in a village called Aldbrough, Mark was introduced to brass instruments when he learnt how to play the cornet for the band of the local Boys' Brigade company - and the die was cast.  Still in his teens, he widened his musical experience by joining the East Riding Youth Orchestra and Brass Band. From school, Mark moved to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and continued his studies in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. 

Michael Gray

Violin
Michael will be remembered by many as our violinist from 1996 to 2001.  He began violin lessons at the age of nine and did his formal training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  Since his first Scarborough residency, Michael has worked on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium and was then offered the job of a principal violinist with the BBC Concert Orchestra.  He is delighted to be back at the Spa, playing the tunes he loves.

Chloe Vanns

Bassoon/Clarinet/Alto Saxophone
Chloe was given her first bassoon by Stockport Youth Orchestra to fill a gap. She studied at Chetham's School of Music, and continued at the Royal College of Music.  Recently Chloe has been working towards her Masters degree at the Royal Northern College of Music on a scholarship sponsored by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.  Chloe has already played in many different orchestras under conductors such as Roger Norrington, Colin Davis and Vladimir Ashkenazy. 

Michael Harper

Percussion
Michael studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, winning the "Gilbert Webster Prize for Percussion".  Since then he has freelanced with many of the UK's major symphony orchestras.  He has also been involved in theatre productions including the award winning production of "Sweeney Todd" and the European premiere of "Light in the Piazza".  Michael has performed at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and in Japan with the BBC Philharmonic where an earthquake struck.  Future engagements include Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, and a tour to China with the Halle Orchestra.  Away from music, Michael is a fell runner for Todmorden Harriers.