Anna Crookes

The English pianist and soprano, Anna Markland, studied at the Chetham's School of Music, the Oxford University, and the Royal Academy of Music. She attained an ARCM with honours at the age of 17, and gained national recognition in 1982 when she won (as a pianist) the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. Two years later, in 1984, she won an instrumental scholarship to Worcester College, Oxford where she read Music. This was followed by two years' postgraduate study with Philip Fowke at the Royal Academy of Music. The success BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition launched her on a performing career, which involved a busy schedule of recital and concerto engagements throughout the British Isles. Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 has featured prominently during Anna Markland's distinguished career. At the age of 18 she performed the work at London's Royal Albert Hall, and had further performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to a busy performing schedule as a pianist, Anna Markland has earned a considerable reputation as teacher, adjudicator and [as Anna Crookes] singer. She now has dual careers as a pianist and also as a soprano. She is a founder member of the world-renowned I Fagiolini vocal group (Director: Robert Hollingworth) who regularly perform and record throughout Europe. In 2000 this ensemble performed in this year's BBC Proms. In the late 1990's she formed her own Baroque group, The French Connection, which performed in 2000 at Hereford Three Choirs' Festival. She also tours and sings with the Scholars Baroque Ensemble. As a solo singer, her recordings have included performances of works by J.S. Bach and Antonio Vivaldi for Naxos and of consort songs by William Byrd for Chandos. In her capacity as both singing and piano teacher, she made her first appearance this year at Dartington's International Summer School. Anna Markland is a resident of Burnham and of Slough (the Berkshire area) for some eight years (from 1992); she was on the music staff of Eton College and made several solo appearances with the Windsor and Eton Operatic Society. She now (2000) lives in nearby Buckinghamshire where she somehow manages to raise two wonderful daughters and a long- suffering husband.