The Westerly Trio

The Westerly Trio was formed in 2021 and was the result of three good friends and colleagues deciding to get together to explore the delightful and extensive repertoire for violin flute and piano. The name ‘Westerly’ was thought of because two of the group own sailing yachts built by the legendary Westerly boatbuilders, and all three members of the group are keen sailors.

In the time that Rachel Jessica and David have been together they have managed to explore a large amount of the repertoire available but are still finding new pieces to play all the time, and today’s recital is a result of their recent researches. They have given concerts throughout the North East, in St Mary’s Monkseaton, The Old Low Light in North Shields, Elsdon Avenue Church in Seaton Delaval and at Northumbria University. They are delighted to be at Blyth today and appearing in this new exciting concert series.

Rachel Jeffers studied flute at the Royal Academy of Music, with William Bennett and Sebastian Bell. She won the J J Brough Flute Prize at the RAM, in 1993, and the Lawrence Beauregard Flute Competition, in 1994, in Quebec.

Rachel has freelanced with many orchestras, including The Philharmonia, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. She relocated from Surrey to Newcastle in 2004, since when she has freelanced with Royal Northern Sinfonia, the English Philharmonic, Orchestra for Alnwick Choral Society, Orchestra of Hexham Abbey Festival Chorus and the British Philharmonic, and was Principal Flute with Northern Orchestra from its inauguration in 2016.

A committed teacher, Rachel is Head of Woodwind Studies at Newcastle University and teaches at Northumbria and Durham Universities, local schools and privately. She has been an ABRSM examiner since 2003.

Jessica Graham trained at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she won numerous awards for chamber music. After having worked as a freelance musician in Manchester with orchestras such as the Hallé, the R.L.P.O., BBC Philharmonic and Opera North, she spent many years as a full-time member of the BBC Philharmonic, with whom she broadcasted regularly on radio and toured extensively around the world.

Jessica now lives in Morpeth with her husband and two children, and performs regularly with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Opera North, as well as in venues across the North as a chamber musician and soloist.

David Murray has been recognized as one of the North East’s most acclaimed pianists, and is constant demand as a soloist, accompanist and chamber music partner. He has been a regular accompanist for David Haslam, Sir Thomas Allen, Ian Partridge, Bradley Creswick, and Alison Pearce, with whom he has appeared in recitals all over the world.

He is also well known as a choral trainer and conductor, and is permanent conductor of Bishopwearmouth Choral Society and Hexham Abbey Festival Chorus.

Recently David has been instrumental in establishing a new chamber music series in Whitley Bay which has proved highly successful and have attracted artists of international standing .

On an educational front David has been lucky enough to have helped many young pianists who are now starting to make their way in the musical world , especially through his work at the Weekend School at the Sage Gateshead, where he was Head of Keyboard Studies from 2004 - 2013. He continues to teach privately and is Head of Keyboard Studies at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, a post which he has held since 2001.