Musicians in the wild
We spend a lot of time on concert platforms, but you'll often find us on hiking trails, by the sea, in forests, or simply enjoying the outdoors. Here's a chance to meet some of the musicians behind OE and discover what inspires them both on and off the stage.
Isha Crichlow
Clarinet
Favourite OE performance, and why?
The 2021 Alpine Tour. I’ve always loved Mahler’s music, and visiting his three composing huts for the first time felt like a pilgrimage. It was also incredibly special to perform Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet for the first time on that tour. I’m very grateful to OE for the opportunity to perform music that means so much to me alongside wonderful musicians in such beautiful surroundings.
A book, film, or artwork that’s shaped your relationship with the environment?
All That Breathes, Shaunak Sen’s 2022 documentary. It’s one of the most emotionally impactful films I’ve ever seen, and it captures humanity’s relationship with nature beautifully. It reminded me that, despite the selfishness that has too often characterised our species, we are all fundamentally connected to the natural world.
What's one piece of music that instantly makes you think of the outdoors?
Anything by Debussy. I most recently performed La Mer in Regent's Park with OE, which was magical, and I also love playing his Arabesques and Nocturnes.
What inspired you to become a musician?
My grandad played the bugle and my dad plays the guitar, so music was always part of family life. I started learning the piano at five, then took up the violin and later the harp through free music lessons at school. Growing up in Wales, I learnt traditional Welsh songs on the harp, joined every orchestra I could find, and by the time I left school I was playing in six local and youth orchestras. My harp teacher encouraged me to start performing professionally and prepared me for the Royal College of Music.
Looking back, I wouldn't be where I am today without those free school lessons and the inspiring teachers and mentors who believed in me. I'm incredibly grateful to them.
Catrin Meek
Harp
Viviane Plekhotkine
Violin
Favourite OE performance, and why?
I've had the best time with OE on our Alpine Tours, visiting Mahler's many composing locations, especially Steinbach am Attersee in Austria. I usually can't resist hiking up one of the mountains in the morning before a performance! Playing Mahler's Fourth Symphony there, alongside so many other wonderful pieces, felt incredibly special.Playing in a chamber orchestra gives us the freedom to shape the music together and really make it our own.
A place in nature that's special to you?
São Miguel in the Azores was the destination for my first solo adventure, and it's one of the most breathtaking places I've ever visited. The vivid green landscape, dramatic mountains and volcanic craters make it feel like paradise.
A close second would be Tenerife - particularly the national parks in the north of the island. I love the incredible variety of landscapes, from beaches and forests to volcanic terrain, all within such a small area.
What's one piece of music that instantly makes you think of the outdoors?
For me, The Lark Ascending perfectly captures the rolling hills and beauty of the English countryside. As a proud Yorkshireman, I spent much of my childhood exploring the Peak District, and this piece instantly transports me back there.
Best bit of advice you ever received as a musician?
My second cello teacher, who became a bit of a musical mum to me during my teenage years, often said: "If you're the smartest person in the room, then you're in the wrong room."
She encouraged me to surround myself with musicians who inspired me, and to embrace every opportunity to learn rather than compare myself with others. That advice has shaped the way I approach music, and it's one of the reasons I love working alongside such incredible musicians today.
Elliott Bailey
Cello
Derryck Nasib
French Horn
If you had to describe OE in three words, what would they be?
Unique, inspiring, encouraging.
What's one piece of music that instantly makes you think of the outdoors?
Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.
Give us a fun fact about you that most people don't know.
My two other great passions outside music are football and anything Transport for London! I'm a huge Chelsea fan, and I've been fascinated by the London Underground ever since I was a child - from the trains themselves to the engineering, architecture and all the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that keeps it running.
What’s your environmental “superpower”: a small but meaningful thing you do for the planet?
I've recently developed a passion for repurposing old clothes. I'm slowly getting better at sewing - I'm particularly obsessed with patches at the moment! I love cutting up old garments and combining them into something completely new. It means I end up with something unique that nobody else owns.
If OE could perform anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
Probably in some magical cave somewhere - perhaps with flowing water (although my colleagues might not be quite so enthusiastic about that idea!). There's something magical about the natural acoustics and intimacy of a cave, and I've always loved these incredible places.
Best bit of advice you ever received as a musician?
Remember who you're playing the music for - whether that's yourself or the audience. When you keep that in mind, everything else tends to fall into place.
Evangeline
Tang
Double Bass
Katie Lodge
Trumpet
If OE could perform anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
I'd love OE to perform at the Wolkenturm in the grounds of Grafenegg Castle in Austria. It's a beautiful open-air venue nestled among the forests near Vienna, offering the rare opportunity to perform outdoors without compromising on acoustics.
A place in nature that’s special to you?
Clissold Park in Stoke Newington has a special place in my heart. I lived nearby during the first lockdown, and I still think it's one of London's best parks, full of wonderful wildlife.
Best bit of advice you've received as a musician?
The best advice I've ever received is simply to ask for advice! The musical community is incredibly generous, and almost everyone is happy to help. It's easy to feel isolated when you're practising on your own, but music is so much richer when we learn from one another.
Favourite OE performance, and why?
I really enjoyed the online recordings OE organised during the COVID pandemic. They were a brilliant way of staying connected when making music together felt almost impossible.
They also taught me a huge amount about recording, which I've since applied to my own projects. Recording all the timpani and percussion parts for the final movement of Mahler's Second Symphony in a single day was quite a challenge!
A book, film, or artwork that’s shaped your relationship with the environment?
I'm a big fan of climbing and adventure documentaries - Free Solo, The Dawn Wall and Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin are all favourites. The cinematography is breathtaking and really captures the beauty of the natural world.
I also enjoy reading National Geographic. It offers a fascinating insight into our planet, and I was particularly struck by a recent article about the challenges penguins are facing as a result of climate change.
