Lowri Porter

Lowri is a busy and much in-demand freelance violinist, leader and principal player. Until December 2022 she was Co-Leader of the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Since leaving, engagements have included guest principal work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, Knussen Chamber Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra.

Joining Welsh National Opera in 2005, Lowri enjoyed a distinguished and rewarding career with the company, regularly appearing as Leader of the Orchestra. Whilst at WNO, she made guest appearances as Leader of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and BBC Philharmonic, and Co-Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Before joining WNO, she was Principal 2nd Violin of Northern Ballet Theatre, also playing regularly with the Scottish Ensemble.

Lowri is passionate not only about students’ musical and technical development but also in helping them develop their non-playing abilities. In 2020 she gained a distinction on completion of her Masters course at the Royal College of Music studying Performance Science, covering subjects including performance psychology, performance education and musicians’ health and wellbeing. She also trained as a coach through the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, achieving her Practitioner award through the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) in 2022. She now runs a series of seminars for the RWCMD postgraduate pathway orchestral specialists covering psychological, emotional and social skills.

Born in Cardiff in 1977, Lowri read Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, before studying with Howard Davis and Marianne Thorsen at the Royal Academy of Music. During her time at the Academy Lowri was awarded the DipRAM prize and led the European Union Youth Orchestra. She was recently made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of her achievements. She plays on a Testore violin.