DOUGLAS - Key Persons
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- Teacher of History / Modern Studies
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- Teacher of Technical Education
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- Acting Principal Teacher Raising Attainment
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- Teacher of English Literacy Co - Ordinator
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- Principal Teacher of Business Education and Enterprise
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- Teacher of Home Economics
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- Principal Teacher of Physical Education
Bernard Docherty is an internationally renowned violinist, conductor, and orchestra strings coach.
With a career spanning five decades, Bernard has travelled extensively at home and abroad with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles.
Renowned Scottish Pianist Christopher Baxter is in constant demand as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician, having given performances throughout the UK, (including the Royal Festival, Steinway, Wigmore and Usher Halls), at international festivals in France and Italy, a tour of the Faroe Islands and recitals in China, South Korea and Singapore.
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher of Geography
David Hubbard took up the position of Principal Bassoon of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in July 2004. He has performed as a soloist with the RSNO on several occasions playing the Mozart Bassoon Concerto, the Vivaldi E Minor, and F Minor concertos, Michael Daugherty's work, 'Dead Elvis',Elgar Romance and Weber's Andante and Hungarian Rondo.
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- Teacher of Technical Education
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- Course Director
- Course Director, Douglas Academy Music School
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- Teacher of Physical Education
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- Teacher of Physical Education
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- Principal Teacher of Biology ( Acting )
Richard Scholfield is an award-winning Scottish saxophonist praised for his "silken" sound (The Scotsman) and thoughtful programming. He forges a deep connection with audiences through his characterful playing and careful presentation, drawing them into the world of the saxophone as he explores both its storied past and bright future.
"An added bonus was the wholly articulate and informative way Richard Scholfield explained the theme of the concert and each work, including a bit of social history for good measure. There's surely an alternative career in broadcasting awaiting such a poised presenter."
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher Guidance
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- Principal Teacher of Chemistry
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- Royal Scottish National Orchestra As Principal
Timothy Orpen joined the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as principal clarinet in 2020, following five years as principal of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Timothy is also a founder member and principal of the Aurora Orchestra, with whom he continues to perform regularly.
As a chamber musician he has performed across Europe, USA and the Far East with artists including Lars Vogt, Sir Antonio Pappano and Pascal Rogé. Timothy has also performed as guest principal with the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia and London Philharmonic and has been featured many times as a soloist on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3. He teaches at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and at Douglas Academy.
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher ( Guidance )
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- Principal Teacher of Physics
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- Teacher of Modern Languages
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- Principal Teacher ( Guidance )
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- Teacher of Home Economics
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- Teacher of Religious Education
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- Music School Clerical Assistant
- Residence Manager
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- Principal Teacher of English
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- Teacher of Business Education
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- Principal Teacher of Mathematics
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- Non Teaching Staff Member
- School Support Manager
Fiona Osborne is a violinist with over thirty years' experience as a teacher and performer.
After a varied orchestral performing career, including seven years in the first violins of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Fiona has for the past twenty years devoted her professional life to teaching the violin. She is particularly interested in violin pedagogy and has studied the Paul Rolland Violin Method, and for her beginners, the Suzuki Method.
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher of Business Education and Enterprise
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- Principal Teacher of Support for Learning
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- Principal Teacher ( Guidance )
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- Group Head
- Depute Head Teacher
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- Teacher of Physical Education ( PT Health and Wellbeing )
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- Senior Technician Science
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- Principal Teacher of Religious Education
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- Teacher of Physical Education
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- Support for Learning Assistant
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- Support for Learning Assistant
Job Titles:
- Teacher of History / Modern Studies
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher of Home Economics
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Business Education
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Modern Languages
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- Principal Teacher of Music
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- Principal Teacher of Modern Languages
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- Music
- Teacher of English ( PTG )
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- Support for Learning Assistant
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- Support for Learning Assistant
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- Support for Learning Assistant
Job Titles:
- Principal Teacher of History / Modern Studies
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- Librarian
- Non Teaching Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Support for Learning Assistant
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Home Economics
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Physical Education
Job Titles:
- Teacher of History / Modern Studies
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Business Education
Operatic roles include ‘Rusalka' (Rusalka), ‘Countess Almaviva' (le nozze di Figaro), ‘Marguerite' (Faust), ‘Marěnka' (The Bartered Bride), ‘Leïla' (les Pêcheurs de Perles),‘Female Chorus' (The Rape of Lucretia), ‘Concepçion' (L'heure Espagnole) in collaboration with the RSAMD and the orchestra of Scottish Opera, and ‘Donna Elvira' (Don Giovanni, RSAMD). She also toured in 2010 with Opera on a Shoestring, in their production of Espagna, as well as with Scottish Opera in La Bohème. In 2011, Michelle performed ‘siren' (Tannhaüser) in a concert performance with Northern Wagner Orchestra. Chorus work includes la Bohème, Cavelleria Rusticana and il Pagliacci, The flying Dutchman, and Turandot with Scottish Opera.
Born in Lancashire, soprano Michelle Foster studied with Jane Irwin and Patricia MacMahon at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire's Alexander Gibson Opera Studio. She graduated with a first class honours degree in 2003, and completed a Master of Music performance in 2004. During her studies, Michelle was awarded scholarships from The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, The Musicians' Benevolent Fund, The Ruby and Will George Trust and The Mary Garden Scholarship Fund, as well as a travelling scholarship to Canada from the Canadian Scottish Philharmonic Foundation. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, The Leverhulme Trust, The Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust and the South Square Trust also generously supported Michelle's studies.
Public recitals have led Michelle to perform widely across the UK and abroad. Engagements include performances at this year's Ryder Cup gala at the SECC, Gleneagles for Scotland International, Mahler's Rückert Lieder in Toronto (Canada), Mahler's 4 th Symphony at the RSAMD under James Lowe and Britten's les illuminations with Edinburgh University String Orchestra. Michelle has also performed in recital with Sir Thomas Allen, Patricia MacMahon, Lisa Milne, Peter Wilson Sir Willard White and Malcolm Martineau, and has sung at Glasgow's West End Festival with Graeme McNaught. She has also given recitals for Scottish Executive, Channel Four, the Conservatorio di Monopoli (Italy), and House for an Art Lover. Michelle is also in demand as an Oratorio performer; she has sung at York Minster with the York Music Society in Handel's Israel in Egypt, Handel's Messiah in Manchester with Richard Lea, Elgar's Coronation Ode and Mozart's Coronation Mass in Glasgow under Ben Parry, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonnelle for HHCOS at Aberdeen's Music Hall with David Jones, Haydn's Nelson Mass with The Kelvin Choir, and many performances of Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem throughout Scotland, including a performance with the BBC Scotland's ‘scratch' orchestra.
Michelle's career as a recitalist has also brought opportunities to perform throughout Europe and Canada in recitals for the Schubert Society of Germany, The Canadian Scottish Philharmonic Foundation, and for ‘Tafelmusik' in Toronto. Michelle also sang in recital with Malcolm Martineau in Edinburgh, in aid of the Mary Garden scholarship award. She made her debut at the Wigmore hall in 2007, as a semi finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Awards, and was a semi finalist in 2005's prestigious YCAT selection in London. Michelle has also performed for the Royal Overseas League in Edinburgh, at the Glasgow Summerfest in a recital of Strauss Lieder with Jane Irwin and Nico de Villiers, in recital with Graeme McNaught performing Schoenberg and Berg Lieder, as well as recording soundtrack music for the BBC documentary Galapagos. Michelle performed Berg's Sieben Frühe Lieder with Julia Lynch for Tickhill Music Society, at Pollok House with Patrick Hemmerlé, and for the Schubert society in Koblenz, as well as being selected as a Featured Artist for Making Music's Concert Promoter's Network.
Sheena Gordon studied at the then Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with David Nicholson, followed by a post graduate year in Paris with Alain Marion. She was Sub Principal Flute of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for many years and freelanced with all the major Scottish Orchestras. She has taught flute at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire of Music and Douglas Academy for more years than she cares to remember, and many of her pupils have gone on to play professionally in orchestras throughout the UK. Her success as a teacher was recognised when in 2015 the British Flute Society invited her to be their first Honorary Vice President, now Vice President Emeritus.
Sue Baxendale is the Principal Horn of Scottish Opera and the Horn Tutor at the Music School of Douglas Academy and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Junior Conservatoire). She regularly tutors students of all ages on orchestral and chamber music courses, including Malvern Winds which she also co-directs.
A graduate of the University of Birmingham with a BA(Hons) English and Music, and postgraduate of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Sue freelanced with the majority of the UK's orchestras before being appointed Principal Horn of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in 1996.
A varied portfolio musician and passionate about working creatively with young musicians, Sue combines her opera and teaching commitments with a thriving freelance performance career with all the orchestras across Scotland (horn, natural horn and Wagner Tuba).
She also works as a freelance creative producer and project manager for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Lammermuir Festival and McOpera Outreach for whom she devises and delivers outreach work for children, young people and adults.
Sue is delighted to have worked with many talented young horn players now working as professional musicians, studying at conservatoires and universities or in the horn sections of NYOGB and NYoS. She is looking forward to welcoming the next generation of horn players to the Music School.
Job Titles:
- Teacher of Modern Languages