Bristol Pops Orchestra is a 11 piece covers band formed by Ex Professional Trombone Player Tony Emery. We are a fantastic mix of Bristol gigging and semi-retired pros, students and music teachers. Our line up includes Drums, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, 2 Female Vocalists, 3 Saxophones, Trumpet and Trombone. We play Great Hits from the 60s to date including such Artists as Franky Valli, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Dexys Midnight Runners,Gloria Gaynor, Blly Ocean, Amy Winehouse and more....
Tony Emery
Band Leader & Trombone Player.
Tony started playing the Trombone at the age of 12 and Joined the Royal Marines Band at the age of 17. Having left the Royal Marines, Tony then played professionally for 10 years spending the summers seasons playing at Butlins in Minehead & the winter seasons playing at the Bristol Hippodrome or as a musician on caribbean cruises. He has worked with many famous acts over the years. His claim to fame is that he once turned down the chance to play with Dexys Midnight Runners. Tony Formed the Bristol Pops Orchestra in 2019 after 25 years of musical retirement with the aim of only playing the best of music from the 60s to date..
Ben Preston
Drums
Ben picked up the sticks about 6 years ago after a 25 year gap! He began playing with a Trad Jazz band for a while and got some much need gigging experience. From there he joined Bristol Pops Orchestra and since restrictions on practicing and gigging have been lifted has provided a great opportunity to bed down some basics of rock, pop and funk drumming.
Anya Szreter
Piano/Keyboards
Born in Hull, Anya grew up in Birmingham and learned to play the piano at her mother’s knee.
She first directed a vocal ensemble at primary school with one of her own compositions.
After studying the piano to diploma level and taking a degree in music, she decided to follow the path of singing and trained as an opera singer. She has toured the country singing the title roles in Puccini’s Tosca and Beethoven’s Fidelio, sung Carmen in a peroxide blond wig and Mozart’s stratospheric, Queen of Night from his Magic Flute. In her twenties, Anya also trained as a Music teacher and has taught music and singing in numerous London schools from Reception up to A level. After moving to Bristol in 2018, she returned to her first musical love and started up a community choir in Brislington, The Nightingale Valley Choir. She has since started two more choirs, Arnos Vocale and Steamship Singers; new members ALWAYS welcome! After an entire career as a classical musician, Anya decided it was time to indulge her lifelong passion for all things rock, pop, soul, blues and Motown so she jumped on a Facebook ad in 2019 calling for musicians to join a 12-piece band and the rest, as they say, is history! Playing keyboards with the Bristol Pops Orchestra has opened up a whole new new musical world of challenges, laughs, friends and fun!
Rob Chivers
Lead Guitar
Rob plays Lead guitar for us, & has been playing for the past 30 years. "I have barely put the guitar down since I started" says Rob.. He has been in various bands in the U.K, Egypt
and Argentina playing a mix of covers and originals. Rob is also an accomplished songwriter. Despite all his experience over the last 30 years, playing guitar for the Bristol Pops Orchestra is still the best experience & most exciting band he has ever played with..Thanks Rob!
Freya Szreter
Vocals
Freya joined Bristol Pops Orchestra in 2021 after moving from London to study Animation. She was briefly the singer/songwriter for Bristol-based indie band Rhino Barfight (2018-2019) and the same for London-Based synth duo Rocket City Blues (2016-2018). Freya was also the graphic designer for both bands' logos and album art. She has high hopes to revive both these projects in future and take part in other collaborative efforts, both as a musician and artist/animator.
Lynette Taberner
Alto Saxophone
From a young age, Lynette has had a passion for music making. She took up guitar at the age of 11, and clarinet aged 15. Coming from a musical family, meant there were many opportunities to sing and perform. Whilst taking her A level music, Lynette had the opportunity to perform at the Vienna International School, Austria, with St Brendan's College orchestra. Having spent most of her early years in Bristol, Lynette then went on to study for her music degree at Chichester University, focusing on clarinet and classical guitar. She joined South Gloucestershire Music Hub in 2003, as a peripatetic instrumental teacher and now has over 30 years' experience of teaching both clarinet and classical guitar, having had her first pupil at the age of 17! All whilst raising a large family. Alongside her teaching, Lynette enjoys harmony singing, having been a member of 'Free Range Acapella' for 17 years, before moving to the classical chamber choir 'Arnos Vocale'. Lynette has performed with Bristol Classical Guitar Society and Bristol Concert Wind band, but in 2019, after deciding on a change of direction from the classical world, bought an alto sax and joined Bristol Pops Orchestra. Lynette is having an amazing time, playing a genre of music she loves, with a great group of people, and she has the added bonus of having her daughter Imogen on vocals!
Imogen Downes
Vocals
Imogen is a Bristol based singer, writer and theatre-maker who has been playing and performing music from a young age. At the age 4 years old she began playing classical guitar, and as a teenager moved into performing acoustic covers with various groups and bands. As an adult she has combined her passions of music and theatre, performing in venues such as Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Wardrobe Theatre and more. She joined The Bristol Pops Orchestra in 2020 and is loving the experience of making music with a full band