Alexandra Mackenzie is an internationally recognised cellist. She also teaches, does a little conducting and has recorded an album of music for cello and piano by female composers with pianist Ingrid Sawers. The album is called Beyond Twilight and she is performing with Ingrid at the Melrose Music Festival on Sunday 8th September in a concert entitled "The Borders and Beyond - music for cello and piano inspired by Scotland."

She spent eight years in New York where performances ranged from working with the legendary S.E.M. ensemble and playing with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra to touring with a ragtime band and recording for Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and the Wu Tan Clan. During her time there she appeared at Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall and Alice Tully and played concerts in 43 of America's 50 States.

She has been a guest artist at the Banff Centre for the Arts, a fellow at Tanglewood, and has participated in chamber music festivals across the globe. Live radio broadcasts, include Radio 3, Classic fm, NPR and German National Radio. Alexandra now lives in South East London. She has played with the English Chamber Orchestra for over a decade and is in frequent demand as a guest principal with orchestras across the UK.

Alexandra will be performing Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major with the Borders Chamber Orchestra on Saturday 14th September 2024.

Derrick Morgan, Assistant Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, will be conducting us at our Melrose Music Festival Concert on Saturday 14th September. Derrick, who was born in the Scottish Borders and is now based in Glasgow, is already known to some of our orchestral musicians having conducted us at the MMF Preview Concert in May. He studied Musicology at the University of Edinburgh and conducting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he received prizes for his achievements in conducting. Derrick is a musician who strives actively to engage with the community, collaborating with ensembles and communities across Scotland and we are excited to be working with him. Further information can be found on his website