In the last year, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has appointed two new musicians to principal positions.
Drake Gritton has been appointed as Principal Cor Anglais, a position he’ll take up in full from Autumn 2023. A recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Drake Gritton is currently on the Intensive Master’s programme at the Academy. Drake has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, guest principal oboe with the Royal Opera House Orchestra and Cor Anglais with the Philharmonia. In addition to the oboe, Drake is an accomplished pianist and singer. Away from music, he enjoys bouldering and exploring the outdoors via running and cycling. Cooking is also a great love of his, as well as throwing balls and frisbees around in the park!
Nicholas Bootiman has joined the Orchestra as Section Leader Viola, a position he shares with Catherine Marwood. Nicholas studied at the Royal College of Music in London and prior to joining the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, he held a principal position with the Philharmonia Orchestra for over a decade. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Echor Music, a chamber orchestra and arts charity based in the Chiltern Hills.
As members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, they are part of an ensemble of professional musicians that performs in a programme of more than sixty concerts in the Grade II*-listed Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and on tour in the UK and internationally.
The award-winning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra. The origins of the Orchestra’s concert series date back to the formation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic concert society by a group of Liverpool music lovers n 1840. Domingo Hindoyan became Chief Conductor of the Orchestra in 2021, joining a distinguished line of musicians who have led the Orchestra during its illustrious history. The Orchestra performs over 70 concerts each year in Liverpool and has long been a unique ambassador for the city through an extensive touring schedule throughout the UK and internationally, and through broadcasts and recordings.
Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of Liverpool Philharmonic, said:
“We are delighted to welcome these fine musicians to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and to Liverpool. To attract players of such quality is testament to the global acclaim for their music-making that our Orchestra has achieved, and to the pool of music and wider creative industries talent and excellence, on and off stage, that we are continuing to bring to our city.”
