Viola
Bethan Lewis plays with Orchestra of the Swan and sits in the second desk of the violas.
So, where are you from?
I grew up in Dunedin in New Zealand which is famous as a university town and as being the home of Albatross and Yellow eyed penguin colonies!
Why did you decide to learn the viola and where did you train?
I was studying violin at Otago University in New Zealand with Donald Maurice. He is mainly a violist and viola teacher and planted the idea of changing to the viola in my head! The next year I moved to Wellington and was studying with the New Zealand String Quartet at Victoria University. Very randomly one day I played a viola belonging to a New Zealand Symphony Orchestra violist. I absolutely loved the sound and decided pretty much on that day to change the main focus of my study to viola!
I then moved to Australia and studied at the Sydney Conservatorium for several years and then completed my Masters in viola performance at the University of Queensland with Patricia Pollett
How old is your viola, who made it and how did you acquire it?
A lovely friend working in the Bristol Violin Shop knew I was looking for a viola and mentioned one day that several instruments had come in from an estate. I fell in love with it instantly. It is an English viola but the maker and year are unknown. It is possibly a Cyril Jacklin viola from the early 1900s.
What else do you do when you’re not working with OOTS?
I am a freelance viola player which entails travelling around the country working with many different ensembles, from chamber music to large symphonic orchestras. I teach privately at home and am a member of a string trio.
How did you get involved with OOTS?
Soon after I arrived in England from Australia I was lucky enough to perform at a concert with a member of the Swan. I really liked his energetic playing and he mentioned the Orchestra of the Swan and said I should send my CV to them.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love cooking… food is the focus of my life!!! Having only lived in the UK for 3 years I’m very excited by the museums and galleries in London and also by how easy it is to travel to Europe and speak different languages! I did an Arts degree in New Zealand in English literature and I still love reading as much as possible. I also enjoy doing Pilates – I do weekly classes to try and maintain balance in my posture and muscles and to avoid those injuries string players are prone to.
How do you cope with pre-concert nerves?
I eat bananas and drink lots of water!! Or I practise the hard bits….!
What’s the most enjoyable thing about playing with OOTS?
What makes Swan unique is the energy and enthusiasm of the musicians. Everyone in the ensemble is totally committed to making every concert the best it can possibly be. I find every concert exciting and rewarding and am constantly inspired by the players around me.