Chamber Orchestra Anglia was set up at the initiation of its Artistic Director, Sharon Choa, with support from a great many individuals including former UEA Vice Chancellor Vincent Watts, businessman David Cargill, and Graham Clark, Grahame Miller, Anne Sales and Lucy Owen-Johnston. Today the Orchestra is led by the Artistic Director and the Board of Directors.
Sharon Andrea Choa, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Email Sharon
The inspiration behind Chamber Orchestra Anglia (COA) is the dynamic young conductor Sharon Andrea Choa who founded the orchestra in order to draw together cultural, creative and academic strengths in the UK and particularly in the East Anglia region. Born in Hong Kong and excelling in the violin, Sharon graduated at the Royal Academy of Music studying under Sidney Griller. At King's College, London, she took first class honours and was awarded a PhD for her thesis on the synthesis of sonata and fugal processes of Haydn's music. As conductor, she has worked under the tutelage of David Parry, Diego Masson, Janos Fürst and Jiri Belohlavek and has since performed widely with orchestras in the UK, Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic and the Far East.
As Artistic Director of Chamber Orchestra Anglia, Sharon has led and inspired the orchestra since its inception and introduced new works with acclaimed performances in Norfolk and London. Her direction of the world premiere of Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde' sung in Chinese presented at the BBC Proms was much applauded by Dr Jim Pritchard of the Mahler Society. She has collaborated with Griff Rhys Jones in performing Richard Strauss' Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, and instigated a series of concerts linking music and science disciplines.
Sharon is Director of Performance Studies at the School of Music at the University of East Anglia (www.uea.ac.uk). Her ambition to foster youth music in East Anglia has resulted in the founding of COA's Young Musicians' Scheme, coCOA. The Scheme has enjoyed the support from COA's patron, Sir Colin Davis, and BBC Symphony Orchestra's Chief Conductor Jiri Belohlavek; both of whom have conducted workshops for coCOA members and players of the UEA Symphony Orchestra.
Recently, Sharon has been nominated as one of the world's leading inspirational women (see www.asha-foundation.org). Her portrait, together with others chosen around the world, will be exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery and in the South Bank in September this year.
Christopher Cook, Artistic Advisor
Christopher Cook began his career in television, producing for BBC 2 and Channel 4. He now broadcasts regularly on BBC Radios 3, 4 and 5. He presents from the Proms, Opera on 3 and Performance on 3 and Lunchtime Chamber Concerts for Radio 3 as well as reviewing for CD Review and writing and presenting arts features. He is a regular contributor to The Gramophone and International Record Review. Christopher was Director of the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in 2004 and is now a member of the Board of Cheltenham Festivals.
Thomas Fletcher, Administrator
Email Thomas
Thomas began his career in the catering industry as a restaurant and functions manager, responsible for organising and coordinating Wedding receptions, corporate events and Christmas parties.
In 2006 Thomas graduated from the University of East Anglia with a music degree. His main area of study was the piano, on which he performed several recitals and submitted a dissertation on the development of orchestration in Mozart piano concerti in relation to the development of the piano as a solo instrument.
Whilst at UEA Thomas dedicated much of his time to exploring different aspects of music. He was the conductor of the UEA music society wind band as well being Musical Director for the UEA drama society musical "Return to the Forbidden Planet". He was also a member of the University of East Anglia Symphony Orchestra tour of Austria in June 2006.
David Beake, Director and Trustee
David Beake is a freelance television Producer and Director and has worked in the Anglia region for twenty years. His interests include education, sailing and music in all its forms. He lives in Wymondham.
Alex Cordiner, Director and Trustee
Andy Newman, Director and Trustee
Andy Newman is Managing Director of Newman Associates Ltd, a Norwich based PR agency. Andy has lived and worked in Norwich for 20 years, coming to the City to take a languages degree at the University of East Anglia, and remaining there ever since.
During his career, he has won an IPR Award for 'Consultancy of the Year', and has built a successful portfolio of published writing. Throughout this period, he has lent his skills to various arts organisations, principally on a pro-bono or non-commercial basis, and he is currently a Trustee and Director of the London-based opera company The Opera Group, as well as Chamber Orchestra Anglia.
Aside from PR, his two passions are music and wine, and he is often seen on various stages either playing percussion or leading wine tastings (although seldom at the same time!). He is married to teacher and professional soprano Becky, and lives in south Norwich.
Charlie Watson, Director and Trustee
Charlie Watson is a writer and editor who has written widely for magazines, websites, advertising and PR agencies, and is the author of two books: Explorers, a children’s atlas, and Seahenge: an Archaeological Conundrum. Before studying for an MA in creative writing and entering the world of publishing, he worked in IT for Lloyds Bank and as a business technology consultant for companies including American Express, Avis Europe, Barclaycard and Kleinwort Benson Investment Banking. Since 2004 he has been editorial director for East Publishing – see www.eastpublishing.com for more information.
Adri van der Colff, Director and Trustee
Adri van der Colff was born in South Africa and completed a PhD in German Linguistics in Heidelberg, Germany before she moved to the UK, where she has developed a career in project management. She has successfully delivered a wide range of projects in the private, public and higher education sectors, ranging from stock market flotations to major building projects. It was when she worked as project manager on The Forum, responsible for moving all staff, stock and equipment to the new library and for ensuring that everything worked properly from day one, that she firmly fell in love with Norwich. Adri is a keen music lover, an enthusiastic member of the UEA choir and also makes luxury chocolates (hence her particular interest in coCOA!)
