Judy Tarling

Judy Tarling L.R.A.M., Hon. A.R.A.M. (violin and viola) was born in Brighton and educated at Brighton and Hove High School, Dartington College of Arts, the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music in London.

After a period playing in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Judy became interested in early music and its performance through playing the harpsichord and viola. After running her own chamber group Brighton Baroque for some years in the seventies, she became involved in the early Academy of Ancient Music recordings of the complete Mozart symphonies. 

In 1981 Judy was invited to join the recently formed Parley of Instruments (directors Roy Goodman and Peter Holman), a group specializing in 17th century string consort repertoire, which she has led since the 80s. In 1985, The Parley assembled the first consort in modern times of the earliest known type of violin, a Renaissance string band such as Elizabeth I would have enjoyed for dancing. 

The group is made up of members of the violin family (violin, viola, bass violin) and still remains one of only three groups in the world to play on this type of instrument. 

The Parley have made over 70 recordings for Hyperion Records, on Renaissance, Baroque and Classical types of instruments, and toured extensively in Europe, U.S.A. and South America.

Judy was principal viola of The Hanover Band for 20 years, recording much 18th- and 19th-century symphonic music on original instruments. Judy was a principal member of The Brandenburg Consort (director Roy Goodman), and also led the band of Opera Restor'd in performances and recordings. Judy led the Cambridge Baroque Camerata (director Jonathan Hellyer Jones) for many years, both in concerts throughout the UK and France, and recordings.
 

Judy has described 40 years of playing in The Parley in ‘Working with Peter Holman: From a Seat in the Parley of Instruments’, her contribution to Musical Exchange between Britain and Europe 1500-1800: essays in honour of Peter Holman, eds. John Cunningham and Bryan White, The Boydell Press (2020)