Strings

GLENDA CRAVEN - VIOLIN

Glenda Craven has been teaching violin at Marsden for thirteen years, taking over all the violin tuition in 2001. She has also been director of the Marsden string orchestra and   the training orchestra for the Marsden Symphony.

Glenda auditioned and was appointed to the 1st Violin section of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the age of 20, after training as an orchestral trainee in the Schola Musica for 3 years and becoming leader of the ensemble in her final year. She performed as soloist with the Schola Musica in many concerts, radio broadcasts and recordings. Glenda spent 16 years in the NZSO and in 1989 was invited to become a member of the NZ Chamber Orchestra performing with this group during several tours and recordings. Since retiring from both orchestras to spend more time raising her family, Glenda continued as a contract player with the NZSO and more recently with the Wellington Vector Orchestra.

Glenda has been teaching violin privately at home for over 30 years. She has expanded her teaching practice and is now an Itinerant teacher at Wellington Girls, QMC and KWNS.

BRENTON VEITCH - CELLO / DOUBLE BASS

Born and bred in Wellington, Brenton trained at the Wellington Polytechnic Conservatorium of Music and was then accepted into the Schola Musica as a violinist. He took up the cello at the late age of 22, being initially self-taught but with input from a variety of tutors.

After completing his undergraduate performance degree at the University of Auckland, Brenton spent one year in London studying under Derek Simpson, Head of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music. During the period 1985 - 1989 Brenton was a rank and file cellist with the Auckland Philharmonia and became Section Principal Cello of the Vector Wellington Orchestra (then the Wellington Sinfonia) in 1990. He is also a regular player with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.