Jackie McCaughan is a classical violinist and pianist born in Dunedin, New Zealand. After attaining a BMus degree in 2011 under the guidance of Dr Martin Riseley at the New Zealand School of Music Jackie moved to Australia to complete a Masters degree of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium studying with Ole Bohn. She has worked as a freelance violinist playing with a wide variety of artists including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Elaine Paige, Flume, Peking Duk, The Cinematic Orchestra, Gin Wigmore, Air Supply, Michael Bublé, Tina Arena, Josh Groban, Il Divo, Laughton Kora, James Morrison, Jon Toogood, and the Wiggles. Jackie has enjoyed performing at events like the Arias, Splendour in the Grass, the Vivid Live Festival, and appearing on the The Voice and X-factor Australia. Jackie now resides in Papamoa, Tauranga following the different avenues her musical passion takes her – teaching and continuing to freelance performing regularly with Waikato’s Opus Orchestra and Octavo octet, and the Hawke’s Bay Orchestra and Festival opera.
Charlotte Ketel was born into a musical family. One of her earliest musical memories was being entranced by a recording of the Swan by Jaqueline Du Pre. Since then, Charlotte’s love of music and career as a cellist and teacher has taken her around the globe. Charlotte completed her Bachelor of Music with First-Class Honours under the tutelage of James Tennant at the University of Waikato, New Zealand and her PGCert and Master of Music in Cello Performance with Matias de Oliveira Pinto in Münster, Germany. Career highlights include orchestral tours through China and Europe, performances in the Berlin Philharmonie and employment as a cellist for RWS Entertainment Group in New York City. Alongside performance, Charlotte is also a deeply passionate teacher and has been teaching for the past 12 years. She has taught privately and at music schools in both Germany and New Zealand as a cello, double bass and piano teacher and a string ensemble conductor. Charlotte is currently based in Tauranga and is completing a postgraduate diploma in teaching while freelancing and teaching privately.
Rebecca Whalley is a local violinist from Katikati. She has had a passion for classical music since she began playing at the age of 6. Rebecca completed her Diploma of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in 2012. She then went on to further her study of performance music at the University of Waikato where she learned from Dr Lara Hall. Alongside her musical studies, Rebecca also completed a law degree and she now works as a solicitor at Holland Beckett Law. Outside her job as a lawyer, Rebecca continues her passion for music and can be seen performing regularly with Autangi Ensemble, Opus Orchestra and the Bay of Plenty Symphonia.