Fiona Brett, Violin

Having played in the Chamber Orchestra of Europe’s inaugural concert, Fiona Brett has a very special relationship with the COE.

Born in Belfast to a family of violinists Fiona began learning the violin at the age of five. When her parents moved to England, Fiona was offered a place at the Junior Acadeny of the Royal Academy of Music, where for two years she led the orchestra. Having already experienced orchestral playing at the highest level with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, she continued her studies as a full-time student at the Royal College of Music. During her second year at the College Fiona joined the newly formed European Community Youth Orchestra (ECYO), where she formed lasting friendships while working with some of the most celebrated musicians in the world. Fiona completed her studies with a postgraduate year at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she and several friends from ECYO joined the new chamber orchestra course. In 1981, Fiona, along with others in a retiring generation of ECYO players became a founder member of The Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

While the COE remains the constant in her musical life Fiona has been a member of The London Philharmonic Orchestra and continues to work with the leading chamber and symphony orchestras in the UK. Fiona is also a member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and lives in Oxfordshire with her partner and son.