Meet the Team

Julia Desbruslais MBE, ARAM, HonFRHUL - Executive Director

At the age of 16, Julia won an open scholarship to study the cello with Florence Hooton at the Royal Academy of Music. During this time, she won many awards including the Suggia Award and the Leverhulme Chamber Music Scholarship. Under the direction of Sydney Griller, she was a founder member of the all-female Fairfield String Quartet. For ten years the quartet toured Britain and Europe, winning the Prague International Spring Festival and regularly broadcasting on Radio 3. On leaving the Quartet, she became Co-Principal Cello with the London Mozart Players, regularly playing as Guest Principal with other London orchestras.

With a lifelong passion for inspiring and working with young people, Julia enjoyed teaching a large school of private students, as well as running numerous music courses with LMP viola colleague and husband Michael Posner and taking on the role of Education Manager for LMP in 2013.

In 2016 she was appointed Executive Director of the LMP leading it through the Pandemic. In January 2022, Julia was awarded “Orchestral Manager of the Year” by the Association of British Orchestra, and an MBE in the platinum jubilee birthday honours list for her services to music. In July this year she became the Executive Director of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust carrying on her passion to help the next generation of young musicians.

Desbruslais, Julia (2) (1)

Hannah McDonald - Operations Assistant

Hannah has recently completed her undergraduate degree in music at Royal Holloway University of London. As a vocalist and a keen performer, she has a strong passion for classical music and opera. Notably, she has performed with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Choir and has taken part in numerous opera productions in Edinburgh’s International Festival. Throughout her university studies, she gained an interest in arts administration and music management and is thrilled to expand her knowledge and develop her future aspirations throughout this opportunity.

Hannah holds a joint role as Operations Assistant with both The Countess of Munster Musical Trust and the Young Classical Artists Trust, working to support both organisations with day-today management and administration. This new “Operations Assistant” role was created jointly by both trusts to offer an opening into music and artist management for a recent graduate with a real interest in pursuing a career in arts administration.

Hannah McDonald