Amy began piano lessons at age five, and violin at seven. Annual visits to grandparents in Northern Ireland included lively family concerts organised by Amy, her brother and cousins. 

She joined Brentwood’s orchestras for young musicians (BOYM) many years ago and, now in Phoenix Youth Orchestra, led the orchestra in their recent performance of ‘Ahmal and the Night Visitors’. It was at Brentwood Junior Strings that Amy and Kate first met; both going on to attend Chelmsford County High School for Girls. Last term Amy composed a piece for the school Symphony orchestra, which she conducted at their Christmas concert.

Currently Amy learns piano under Kathy Underhill and violin with Suzanne Loze, having now achieved grade eight in both and working towards diploma. She has won several classes in the Chelmsford Festival (on two occasions with Kate) and, in the European Piano Teachers Association competition came top in grade 6-7 and then the grade 8 class.

Having led the Essex Young Person’s Orchestra, Amy has now progressed to the Essex Youth Orchestra where she is on the front desk of the second violins. She finds the EYO courses challenging but very valuable, with good food and company, and is hoping to join their summer tour this year. She also accompanies choirs and groups at school, and plays in her church music group.

Amy intends to include music among her A level choices, and will then face the question of whether to study an environment related subject or music. If you know anyone she could talk to about composing music for wildlife documentaries, do let her know!

Katherine O’Hanlon

Katherine became a chorister at Brentwood Cathedral when she was 8 and is now a Choral Scholar there. She studies with Julia Wilson-James and won Chelmsford Rotary Young Musician of the Year 2023 and the Chelmsford Festival: 18 and under recital at the age of 14. 

Katherine made her debut when she was 11 with Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society singing Faure’s Requiem: Pie Jesu. She was the treble soloist for Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society in their Christmas Extravaganzas in both 2024 and 2023 in the Brentwood Centre, and earlier in 2023 in Mendelssohn: Hear My Prayer. 

Recently, Katherine sang with Brentwood Philharmonic Orchestra and was the Soprano Soloist for Brentwood and Ingatestone Choral Society in Karl Jenkins ‘Peacemakers’, Britten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’ and Mozart’s Coronation Mass. In the summer, she sang with the Stile Antico Youth Consort.

Katherine plays violin and piano and is very excited to be singing again with Brentwood and Ingatestone Choral Society as the Soprano Soloist for Martin Palmeri’s Magnificat on March 28th 2026.

Kathy Underhill  – piano

Kathy Underhill began her piano studies at the age of 3, graduating at 11 to the Royal College of Music where she studied for seven years.

Edinburgh University followed and then a year at the Vienna Hochschule.

Teaching beckoned, both school and piano, alongside a professional solo and accompanist career.  Whilst spending a year working in the Middle East she played for a production of The Mikado for Bahrain Television.

Choral direction also began to play an important role with memorable performances in Brentwood Cathedral and at the Ursuline where Kathy was Head of Music and then Director of Arts, Assistant Head.  The Chamber Choir, which she founded, won national recognition.

She is currently Director of Music/Organist at the Most Holy Redeemer in Billericay where a flourishing SATB Choir frequently tours, most notably singing in the Vatican, Sagrada Familia, Brussels and Westminster Cathedrals.

Supporting young musicians has always been a priority, and she currently teaches and accompanies, privately and at Brentwood School.