The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Fellowship, which has no upper age limit, offers musicians a unique, immersive professional orchestral experience, both on and off the stage over the course of a year. The four musicians appointed as Fellowship Musicians for the 2025/26 season are:

Nia Williams (Cello)

Nia is a cellist from Crynant, in South Wales. She recently completed her postgraduate studies at Guildhall School of Music, where she has studied with Rebecca Gilliver. As a student she held both the Ann and Peter Law Cello Scholarship and the C M Vinson Scholarship, as well as a Guildhall School Scholarship during her undergraduate degree. During her time at Guildhall, Nia performed extensively with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, and was also principal of the Chamber Orchestra and Opera Orchestra. She also participated in side-by-side projects with the London Symphony Orchestra and was selected to be part of a Guildhall collaboration with the London Mozart Players, performing a narrated piece about the Great Fire of London to an audience of primary school-age children.

A keen chamber musician, Nia has performed in the Guildhall School Chamber Music Festival, as well as masterclasses with musicians from the Endellion, Takacs, Heath and Marmen Quartets. She has also participated in solo masterclasses with Natalie Clein, Leonid Gorokhov, Alice Neary, Philip Higham, Christoph Richter, and Robert Cohen.

Nia has been offered a place on the Orpheus Sinfonia Foundation Programme this year, and is looking forward to combining the experience she gains from that programme with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Emerging Musicians Fellowship.

Nia is delighted to have been chosen as one of this year’s Emerging Musicians Fellowship musicians, and is looking forward to gaining valuable experience of professional orchestral playing under the tutorage of world-class musicians. She is keen to develop her skills and musicianship now that she has left full-time education, and is thrilled to have been offered this opportunity.

 Sam Willsmore (Cor Anglais with Oboe) 
Sponsored by Robin Bloxsidge and Nick Riddle

Sam is an Oboist originally from Southend-on-Sea. He is an alumnus of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Completing his undergraduate and postgraduate studies there respectively, graduating with Distinction from the Royal Welsh College and was awarded the Ernest and Doris Haigh Memorial Award in association with the Musicians’ Union. His teachers on Oboe have included Steve Hudson, Gordon Hunt, Lucie Sprague and Fraser MacAulay, with Jane Marshall and Patrick Flanaghan on Cor Anglais.

Having many opportunities through the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera placement schemes, Sam has continued his relationship with the two Welsh orchestras, freelancing with both. He was also invited to take part in the English National Ballet placement scheme during his time with the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Sam has performed as a soloist with the Strauss and Vaughan Williams Oboe Concertos. Also a keen chamber musician, Sam is a founding member of the multi-award-winning Bute Wind Quintet in which he heads the development of programmes, balancing the promotion of less well known works by composers from all walks of life with the standard repertoire for the Wind Quintet.

Sam is thrilled to be accepted onto the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Fellowship and is looking forward to getting involved at all levels of the programme, from performance opportunities with a world class orchestra to educational and outreach opportunities, and insights from the behind-the-scenes team.

Emily Crook (Clarinet) 
Sponsored by Tim and Kay in memory of Julia and Josh

Emily Crook is a British Clarinettist who is currently studying for a Masters at the Royal College of Music as a Leverhulme Arts Scholar. Emily is currently on trial for Principal Clarinet of Manchester Camerata and has also been on trial for Sub-Principal Clarinet of the Welsh National Opera. Emily has appeared as a guest with BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Concert Orchestra, English National Opera and Chromatica Orchestra. She is very grateful to have won the opportunity of being part of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Emerging Musicians Fellowship for 2025/26, and at the RCM she has also won the opportunity to be part of the BBC Symphony Pathway Scheme, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Scheme and English National Opera Scheme in previous years.

Emily has performed in 1901 Arts Club as part of the Hattori Foundation Recital Series, and in the Cerne Abbas Music Festival alongside her professor, Richard Hosford, and the Gaudier Ensemble. Emily adores chamber music and has appeared at Wigmore Hall collaborating with Ensemble 360, as well as with other chamber groups in venues such as The Gardens of Highgrove House, Garsington Opera, 11 Downing Street, Champs Hill, Dorchester Arts, and will appear at Whitstable this Autumn performing Mozart’s Gran Partita.

Emily is extremely grateful for the funding support she has received for both years of her Masters study, and would like to give thanks to the Drake Calleja Trust, Hattori Foundation, Help Musicians, Craxton Memorial Trust and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust for the Neil Black Award.

Ramon Branch Biescas (Tuba)

Ramon Branch Biescas is a tuba player originally from Tarragona, Spain. He recently completed a Master’s degree at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he studied with Ben Thomson, Kevin Morgan and Mike Levis.

His early musical education began at the Escolania de Montserrat choir school in Catalonia, where he studied piano and organ while performing internationally with the choir. Following his move to the United Kingdom, he continued his studies at Lancing College, the Junior Royal Academy of Music, and the Purcell School for Young Musicians.

Ramon has performed with a number of orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Fidelio Orchestra, and Jove Orquestra Nacional de Catalunya. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Sutton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Guildford Symphony Orchestra, performing the Vaughan Williams’s Tuba Concerto. He is also an active member of the Heron Brass Quintet and continues to pursue his interests in singing and organ. As a singer, he holds a choral scholarship at St Mary’s Church in Hendon.

He is honoured to have been given this opportunity to gain further experience within a professional setting and looks forward to the year ahead.

Thank you to The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, The Garrick Charitable Trust, The Idlewild Trust, The Kirby Laing Foundation, Thriplow Charitable Trust, Radcliffe Charitable Trust and Fidelio Charitable Trust for their support of the programme.

Thank you to the individuals who generously support the Emerging Musicians Fellowship including Mrs Angela Brodbelt, In memory of Sarah Barrow, and anonymous supporters.