We’re playing and exhibiting at two of the biggest wedding shows in the country during February.

Scotland’s Exclusive Wedding Event

Firstly, we’ll be playing our wee socks off at Scotland’s Exclusive Wedding Event at The Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow (11th and 12th Feb)
www.scotlandsweddingevent.co.uk

SECC Scottish Wedding Show

….and then at the SECC (18th and 19th Feb)
www.thescottishweddingshow.com

So if you’re going along to either the please pop over to our stand for a chat (and maybe a Percy Pig if we haven’t munched them all!)

Please note – we know where all the free booze is……

The venue was absolutely mobbed, what a brilliant turn out for a local wedding Fayre!

Despite being mildly obscured by a (very well dressed!) mannequin, we met loads of lovely Brides and Grooms to-be who came to say hello! It’s always really nice to meet new people glowing in the prewedding rosiness of love, excited about their forthcoming nuptials and the most amazing day of their lives!…….And then there’s the Grooms! Kidding of course, every couple we met were just smashing and we really enjoyed chatting with you all!

Thanks so much to the couples who have (very wisely!) chosen us to play on their big day! We’re really looking forward to being part of your wedding day, it’s a great honour!

2012 is going to be a brilliant, and very busy year for Apollo. Bring it on!

We would like to thank Jen Harvey for all her hard work on the site and Ryan Mimiec for his amazing photos. With this fresh new look, and quite frankly awesome website, we are ready and raring to go for the year ahead!2012 is going to be amazing for Apollo String Quartet & we can’t wait to see what it brings!

We’re really looking forward to playing for all the lovely brides and grooms that have booked us for the year ahead, and look forward to meeting many more of you in the months to come!

Sonia was born in Aberdeen and moved to Glasgow to study cello at the RSAMD where she gained a First Class Honours degree and Post-graduate Diploma with Distinction. During her college years she won numerous prizes for solo and ensemble playing and since graduating she has enjoyed a busy and varied freelance career.

Highlights include tours of South America, China and Greenland while closer to home she has performed across Europe and the UK including the BBC Proms, the Edinburgh Festival, the St Magnus Festival and a year touring as principal cello in the hit musical Miss Saigon. As a session player Sonia has recorded in many styles and genre and backed acts as diverse as Rod Stewart and Smokey Robinson!

In the classical field she performs regularly with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera and has also appeared with the RSNO, Scottish Ballet, The Scottish Ensemble, Paragon Ensemble and Red Note Ensemble. Sonia has appeared as concerto soloist with a range of orchestras and regularly gives chamber recitals across Scotland.

Sonia has been playing regularly with Apollo over the past couple of years, and is a welcome addition to the team.  Her sparkling personality and relaxed and beautiful playing make her a joy to work with.

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Glasgow based cellist Christoff Fourie started his musical studies at an early age under the guidance of his parents. He was extremely fortunate to further his studies with some of South Africa’s most prominent cellists including Marian Lewin, Heleen du Plessis and Dalena Roux.

Initial success included a debut performance with the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra at age 13, becoming principal cellist of the South African National Youth Orchestra and winning the South African National Chamber Music Competition. He also performed and toured extensively as a member of the University of Stellenbosch Piano Trio.

Christoff was awarded the prestigious Associated Board International Scholarship, which enabled him to further his studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Some highlights during the course of his studies included winning the RSAMD’s most important string award (the Governor’s Recital Prize), a world premiere performance at the Cheltenham Festival, and performing at the Manchester International Cello Festival in a public masterclass with renowned cellist Anner Bylsma.

His primary teachers were Rudi de Groote and David Watkin, complimented with further studies under Johannes Goritzki. Christoff graduated with a first class BMus(Hons) degree in cello performance.

Christoff is currently performing in a freelance capacity with Scotland’s foremost orchestras including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

He is married to a fellow musician and viola player, Mary Ward. When he is not busy playing the cello, he is most probably busy playing with his two beautiful children, Patrick and Annina.

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Barbara was awarded a scholarship at St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh aged 11, studying violin with Rosemary Ellison and piano with Richard Beauchamp, as well as masterclasses with many eminent visiting performers.

A member of the National Children’s and Youth Orchestras of Scotland from age 8, she was subsequently invited to join Camerata Scotland leading to performances in many renowned concert halls throughout Britain and Europe.

Currently studying Medicine at the University of Dundee, Barbara has enjoyed a growing involvement in the area’s musical scene. She has been principal violinist with Dundee Symphony Orchestra, the University Symphony Orchestra (with whom she performed as soloist in Saint-Saen’s Havanaise), the Angus Chamber Orchestra, Fife and Broughty Ferry Opera Orchestras, and the European Medical Student Orchestra.

Her continuing commitment to chamber music has led to trio and sonata performances in Dundee and St Andrews, and regular appearances with groups such as St Andrews’ Heisenberg Ensemble, the Manchester-based Murray Ensemble, and as guest violinist with the Laird quartet.

Barbara is now a firm fixture in the Apollo line-up, and supplies our other players with endless sandwiches and cakes from her bottomless lunchbox!

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