Katherine Jenkinson was born in 1980 in Derbyshire where she began to play the cello at the age of five. Three years later she was accepted as the youngest ever pupil of the cellist and teacher, Florence Hooton.

In 1998, Katherine was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where she studied with Colin Carr and David Strange. During her years at the Academy, she received ten prizes and awards, performed concerti with Academy orchestras, graduated with a first class degree, the acclaimed DipRAM, and subsequently became a fellow for two years. In 2011 Katherine was made Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

Chamber music is a key part of Katherine’s musical life. She was a member of the Allegri String quartet for 3 years, 2008-2011 and is a member of the Aquinas Piano Trio. They formed in 2008 after years of performing chamber music together and their debut CD was released in December 2008. For more CDs see 
www.aquinaspianotrio.co.uk
 
Katherine has performed as soloist throughout Europe, in Africa and Asia. She gave her Wigmore Hall debut as a duo with Alison Farr in 2004 and has since returned there three times. In the last few years Katherine has performed most of the concerti repertoire and has been kindly supported by trusts including Countess of Munster, Tillett Trust, Dorothy Grinstead, MBF and Worshipful Company of Musicians.
 
In 2012 Katherine was honoured to become patron of Derby Chamber Music Society. She enjoys keeping involved with music in the local area and performing regularly for Derby Chamber Music Society.

Jonathan was the first Chairman of the Society. He studied Physics at Birmingham, where he recalls sitting on the gangway steps at the Barber Institute to listen to the legendary Budapest String Quartet perform Beethoven and Bartok. He then studied Philosophy at Sussex (where he is an Hon Fellow) encountering Vladimir Ashkenazy, not long after his defection to the West, playing late Beethoven.

As Dean of Humanities at Middlesex (where he is an Hon Professor) he introduced lunchtime concerts for his Faculty and enjoyed what he still regards as one of the greatest ever performances of the Liszt Sonata – by Julian Evans, who was then studying with Schnabel’s famous pupil Maria Curcio.

He was the first Academic Director/Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Derby, and Project Champion for the building of the Multi-Faith Centre, subsequently Acting Chairman and now its Vice-President. Thus he not only takes particular pleasure in the wonderful music the Society brings to Derby, but finds a curious satisfaction in the location of its Concerts.

For 24 years I taught geology at the University of Derby. Going home one Friday evening midway through that period I came across people arriving for an event at the Multi-Faith Centre. Intrigued as to what might be going on, I enquired and found myself attending a chamber music concert of the highest quality. I discovered that it was part of a series run by Derby Chamber Music Society, and from then on attended their events regularly. I was eventually asked to join the committee and subsequently (in 2025) took on the role of Chair, following the retirement of Lindsay Smith. My aim is to continue the wonderful tradition of providing regular, high-quality chamber music performances in the City of Derby established by Lindsay and his predecessors. 

Treasurer

Len Jenkinson