The Rookh Quartet began life in 2017 when four of Scotland's horn players decided to get together regularly to explore - and expand - the horn quartet repertoire. The original plan did not involve doing any concerts - the idea was to get together regularly, to enjoy playing chamber music. This changed when the University of Glasgow offered the Rookh Quartet a lunchtime concert, and the group has since gone on to play in venues and festivals that include The Cathedral of the Isles, soundfestival, Orkney's St Magnus Festival, and a tour for The Night With…. They were a featured artist in the British Horn Society’s Scottish Horn Day 2024, and also joined players from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Opera for an International Horn Society project during the Covid pandemic.
The first concert also gave the group their name, as they gave the first performance of Jane Stanley's Lalla Rookh, for natural horn, 2 horns, and narrator, which was a re-working of a piece for natural horn and narrator based on a letter written by a former University of Glasgow staff member and amateur horn player, William Thomson...also known as Lord Kelvin. The letter was written as he was anchored in the harbour of Funchal, Madeira, on board the Lalla Rookh. His natural horn can be found in the Hunterian Museum, in the room directly above the University's Concert Hall.
Find out more about the piece here in a video exploring Jane's compositional process in writing Lalla Rookh.
Alongside well established works for quartet, the ensemble have an interest in new music and working with composers. They have given the first performances of new works by Lynda Nicholson, Drew Hammond, Jane Stanley, Louise Harris, Alisson Kruusmaa, Tyler Taylor, and Joyce Solomon Moorman, and regularly workshop pieces by student composers.
Their debut album, recorded with TNW Music, is currently being mixed, and will feature music by Drew Hammond, Alisson Kruusmaa, Tyler Taylor, Joyce Solomon Moorman, Michael Kallstrom, and Elena Kats-Chernin. More news about a release date soon!
Click a player’s name below to find out more about them.
Lauren recently accepted the position of third horn with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, moving there from her position as third horn with Scottish Opera. Before her move Lauren won Principal Horn trials with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Opera North and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She has also worked with the BBC Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Scottish Ballet. These performances have allowed her to play in the Proms, Edinburgh Festival, and travel as far afield as Japan.
Lauren began her studies on horn at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. After her Bachelor she moved to Austria to spend a year specialising in Vienna Horn with Hector McDonald, before moving to Germany to complete a qualification in solo performance with Professor Christian Dallmann. Whilst abroad she held the position of principal horn with the Mittelsaechsische Philharmonie in Freiberg and freelanced regularly with many of the local professional orchestras there. Lauren has recorded music for video games such as Avatar and Star Wars, as well as projects for film and TV.
After studies at The Royal College of Music, London, Ian was appointed to the horn section of the Royal Ballet Orchestra. He also worked extensively as a freelance horn player in both England and Wales, notably with The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
He joined the horn section of The Scottish Opera Orchestra in September 2007 and also freelances frequently with other orchestras in Scotland.
Ian is also a qualified Piano Tuner and Repairer.
Stephanie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music from 2000-5. Following on from her studies Stephanie began her freelance career playing with orchestras including the Halle, BBC Philharmonic, Opera North, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Philharmonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Northern Ballet and Manchester Camerata. She also played on tour with Grammy Award-winning singer Adele.
Stephanie began her current post as Sub-Principal 4th horn at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2009. She regularly participates in workshops and education projects with the BBC SSO including BBC 10 Pieces projects in primary and secondary schools and Tunes for Tots with pre-school children. Stephanie is also one of the regular coaches for the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, and currently lectures at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a post she has held since 2012.
Stephanie enjoys chamber music and as well as exploring horn music with the Rookh Quartet she frequently joins colleague from the BBC SSO for chamber concerts.
Born in Dundee, Andy Saunders grew up in Staffordshire where he began horn lessons as an excuse to miss science lessons! He studied Music at York University before moving back north to Glasgow to complete his Masters degree at the RSAMD with Hugh Potts.
After graduating he spent a season as Solo Horn of Slovenian National Opera and Ballet in Ljubljana, before returning to Glasgow. He now plays regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ensemble Modern, Le Concert Olympique, Daniel's Beard, and Rednote Ensemble.
Andy was Artistic Director of The Cottier Chamber Project 2010 - 2016, Performance Consultant for the University of Glasgow’s Music degrees 2013 - 2025, and ran the 2024 Nordic Music Days festival in Glasgow, at which he was awarded the Nordic Composers’ Council’s Honorary Prize for Contribution to New Music in 2024. He is currently a board member for The Night With… and is Creative Director of Art Music Scotland.
In case you’re wondering...
Lauren plays a yellow brass Alexander 103
Stephanie plays a yellow brass Alexander 1103
Ian plays a yellow brass Alexander 1103 and a Zoltan Juhasz natural horn
Andy plays a gold brass Alexander 103 and a Gerhard Wolfram natural horn
None of them have much of a clue about the mouthpieces that they use, but Lauren has a very fancy mute!
Thanks to Marcin Hlawaczek for the photos from the Glasgow concert of our tour with The Night With…
and to Leslie Burgher for photos from our concerts at the St Magnus Festival, Orkney.
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