Born into a musical family, CEE leader Anna Downes began her studies at an early age. She went on to graduate from the University of Exeter with an Honours Degree in music.
During her student years, Anna developed her career as a violinist, playing
frequently with the English Mozart Players and appearing as a soloist
on BBC Radio 2. She also gained experience as an orchestral manager, serving
as President of the University Symphony Orchestra between 1996 and 1998.
Anna completed her PGCE in 2000. She taught first at King's School in
Wolverhampton, then was appointed Head of Music at The Crestwood School
in Kingswinford. She is currently Head of Instrumental Studies at Old
Swinford Hospital, a boarding school in Stourbridge, West Midlands.
Alongside her work as a teacher, Anna regularly works as a free-lance
violinist. She has been invited to play with National Musicians Symphony
Orchestra on several occasions, and appears as a soloist frequently with
groups around the area as well as being invited to guest-lead various
Midlands orchestras such as The Sinfonia of Birmingham, Heart of England
Orchestra and Vivaldi Camerata.
In 1998 Anna made a CD of her father's Violin Sonata with Duncan Honeybourne.
In 2000 she took part in the making of Sopresa, a recording compiled
by a group of Worcestershire soloists who regularly give recitals together.
In 2001 Anna founded Central England Ensemble, made up of postgraduate
musicians, music students and other talented musicians. The group has
two main aims: to promote the music of Midlands composers and to provide
a high standard performance platform for young talented musicians in the
area.
Since its conception, CEE has performed over fifty concerts, with a work
by a Midlands-based composer in each one. The orchestra has also toured
in Northern Germany and in Paris, giving concerts in prestigious venues
such as La Madeleine.
In 2005 Anna set up Mercia Musicians, a live music agency which provides
entertainment for all types of functions as well as pit orchestras for
shows and session orchestras for choral societies. She manages and plays
in her own string quartet, the Lynwood Lea Quartet, which regularly plays
at weddings and has given several recitals.