RITA MANNING (violin) was born near Dundalk, north of Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. She was immediately recognised as an outstanding musical talent, and brought to London to study with Hugh Maguire, the famous teacher and pedagogue. Rita continued to return to Ireland to lead the Irish Youth Orchestra, and to perform with the RTE Symphony Orchestra in a solo capacity. Rita was approached to lead the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, an orchestra with whom she toured the world and made many recordings over the subsequent years. Rita now works as a busy freelance musician in London, recording chamber music for the ASV label, and scarcely a day passes without her appearing on national TV or radio. She is equally at home playing jazz or classical music, and frequently preforms with her partner, Christopher Lawrence, who is one of Britain's leading double bass players.