Holly Bhattacharya (Violin)

Holly was born in Durham, U.K. to two musician parents and she began learning the violin at the age of four. She was a pupil at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and later studied at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Richard Deakin, Wen Zhou Li, Christopher Rowland (chamber music) and Pauline Nobes (Baroque). Her college quartet performed regularly throughout the U.K. and won the Hirsch Prize for Chamber Music in 2005. She toured Europe and Kazakhstan as a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, with whom she played for four years.

Since graduating from college, Holly has enjoyed a varied career, spanning orchestral, chamber, theatre and commercial music as well as teaching, coaching and invigilating for music competitions. She has been a regular player with many of the UK’s top orchestras including the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. Holly also performed as part of the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival (Maine, USA) and MusicaRiva Festival (Lake Garda, Italy)

Theatre work has included almost eight years of performances with The Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End, (U.K.) Quadraphenia on tour, Thursford Christmas Spectacular and The Independent Opera Co. (Old Vic Theatre, London) She also worked regularly at Glyndebourne Theatre and took part in several education projects and workshops.

Pop work has seen Holly record and perform with the likes of Take That, Jarvis Cocker, Gorillaz, Mike Oldfield, Neneh Cherry, De La Soul, Florence and the Machine and Kylie Minogue.

Chamber music has taken Holly to the International Chamber Music Festival in Alcala, (Spain) and all around the Mediterranean and Norwegian Fjords as a guest entertainer for SAGA cruises. She has led workshops at Lancing College and BHASVIC, Brighton, as well as regular concerts with Ensemble Reza around the South of England.

Holly taught violin for four years at Brighton College (UK Independent School of the Decade) and was a judge for the music competitions at Hurstpierpoint College, Worth School and St. John’s, Leatherhead.

Holly is enjoying making Canada her home. She is a member of the Jessica Mcmann Trio and recorded the album “Prairie Dusk” with them in 2023 which won a YYC music award in 2024. It has been shortlisted for a Grammy nomination and the album was trending at #1 on CKUA for some time. With the same group Holly toured Alberta and British Columbia in October/November 2023 and again in May of this year. She loves performing and is looking forward to more concerts and collaborations with various artists in the future. She is passionate about education and making music accessible to everyone. She is looking forward to joining the vibrant music scene in Lethbridge.

2025-26 Fees*:

• 30-Minute Lessons: $136 (Monthly) or $1,088 (Lump Sum)
• 45-Minute Lessons: $204 (Monthly) or $1,632 (Lump Sum)
• 60 Minute Lessons: $272 (Monthly) or $2,176 (Lump Sum)

*The above lump sum ranges are based on 32 weeks of lessons over the course of September - May, but can be pro-rated for students starting late in the term