Nicola Tait Baxter studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Lionel Handy, winning prizes for both solo and chamber music and graduating with a first-class honours degree. Further scholarships took her to Germany and London, studying with cellists Johannes Goritzki and William Pleeth. At the age of 24 she gave her first solo broadcast for Radio 3 and she joined the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields chamber orchestra and performed regularly with the Philharmonia, City of London Sinfonia and the LSO. For 5 years she was cellist in the renowned Fitzwilliam String Quartet, performing and giving masterclasses throughout Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa.

Very much in demand as a soloists and chamber musician, her repertoire includes most of the major ‘cello concertos and she has performed the 6 solo suites by Bach in festivals in Scotland, England and Germany and has appeared as soloist in Switzerland and the USA. Especially fond of chamber music, Nicola also performs with esteemed pianist Colin Stone, Ensemble Serafin (alongside violinist Nicola Loud) and the Bochmann String Trio. More details can be found on her website.

Passionate about teaching, Nicola co-runs Leading Notes Chamber Music courses and holds teaching posts at Harrow School & Merchant Taylors'. She has also recently published some of her own compositions “5 Fantasy Pieces” for unaccompanied cello which are available to buy on her website.