Julia Bishop is a Baroque violinist and teacher. She discovered her love of Early Music during her studies at the Royal College of Music where she heard the Baroque orchestra being directed by the inspiring Cat Mackintosh. 30 years later Julia is recognised as one of the leading Baroque violinists of her generation, touring the world extensively and making numerous recordings with the period instrument orchestras of the UK including the London Classical Players, the Hanover Band, the English Concert, with whom she was a member for 6 years, and as leader and soloist with the Gabrieli Consort and Players and Florilegium.
In 1997 Julia co-founded the ensemble Red Priest with recorder player Piers Adams and enjoyed 19 years of huge success touring Europe, the Far East and America, and also making 6 highly acclaimed CDs. After a break from Red Priest while her daughter was growing up, Julia is now back with the group again. She has also launched Red Priest Strings, an exciting new chamber ensemble comprising the UK’s leading Baroque string specialists and directed by Julia and Piers.
In recent years Julia has become increasingly popular for her fun and informative teaching on Baroque workshops and courses around the UK and abroad. Since 2014 she has developed the Early Music department of the University of Chichester Conservatoire, and has also been guest Baroque violin teacher at the Royal Academy of Music and the University of York.
