Alice Neary

Cello

Alice enjoys a varied performing career as a chamber musician, soloist and as principal cellist of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Familiar to listeners of Radio 3, festival performances include BBC Proms chamber series, Marlboro (USA), Bath International, Santa Fe (USA) and Lofoten. Recent concerto performances include Honegger and Cheryl Frances-Hoade concertos with BBC NOW.

Alice was a member of the Gould Piano Trio from 2001-2018 - career highlights include the complete piano trios of Beethoven, Schubert and Dvorak at the Wigmore Hall, the commissioning of new works from Sir James MacMillan and Mark Simpson, regular tours of USA and over 25 CD releases.

Alice has appeared as guest cellist with numerous groups including the Nash Ensemble, Ensemble 360 and the Endellion, Elias, Bingham and Heath quartets. She collaborates with pianists Viv McLean, Benjamin Frith, Robin Green and Daniel Tong. Regular visits to International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Marlboro Festival USA and Wye Valley Chamber Music festival provide ongoing inspiration. In January 2022 Alice took part in a USA tour with Marlboro Music Festival musicians, (including performances at Carnegie Hall and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society).  Future plans include Don Quixote with BBC National Orchestra of Wales in June 2023.

Alice studied with Ralph Kirshbaum at the RNCM and, as a Fulbright scholar, with Timothy Eddy at Stonybrook, USA.  As a teacher, Alice has been tutor in cello at the Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music. She is now based in her home town of Cardiff at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she was awarded a Fellowship in 2015. Alice is also a mentor for ChamberStudio. She and her husband, David Adams founded the Penarth Chamber Music Festival in 2014.   Alice plays a cello by Alessandro Gagliano of 1710.