Ammal Bhatia is a fourth year violinist and conductor, from St Albans, studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with Steve Wilkie, and privately with Peter Stark. Ammal began his life on the violin with Mona Kodama, aged five with the Suzuki Method. In his second year of study Ammal founded his own orchestra, the Carme Ensemble. This new ensemble is a vibrant energetic orchestra, consisting of young professionals, based in Manchester. Whilst in his youth Ammal also started learning the Viola with Juan Drown and Piano with Diane Terry. Ammal regularly performed as a soloist throughout his years including Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.5 and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Ammal has performed in all major London and Manchester Concert Halls, and RNCM venues.

 

Fortunate to have been able to be involved with the St Albans Music School Chamber Orchestra Ammal has been principle of second violin, co-leader, leader and director. In his home county of Hertfordshire, Ammal was an active member of the county’s music service, playing in St Albans Philomusica as co-leader, leader and later sectional tutor and assistant conductor, Hertfordshire School’s Symphony Orchestra and Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra (co-leader). Ammal regularly returns to his hometown and London and performs with county orchestras, and London ensembles; he is also an active in-demand orchestral player.

 

Ammal has established himself as a keen, in-demand chamber musician. In his second year of study Ammal along with Dylan Latham, James Warburton and Stefan Rogers founded the Franco-Mendes Quartet. The group have been incredibly successful in the short time they have been together. The Quartet and Ammal has received world class tuition from Petr Prause, Donald Grant, Jeremy Young, Henk Guittart, Trio Karenine, Trio Gaspard, Elias Quartet, Piatti Quartet and the Chilingirian Quartet.