Introducing... Minnie Elliott, Concerts Coordinator
How did you become involved with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO)?
I was working in Manchester for The Hallé and was looking to relocate to London. I grew up near London and knew what a fantastic orchestra the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was, so when this job was advertised, I applied and was lucky enough to be offered the job!
What was your first experience of orchestral music?
My grandma is very musical, so I was introduced to classical music first through learning the piano, and then I began double bass lessons when I was 12. The first major orchestral concert that I remember was the London Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 at the Barbican. I was about 14, and I remember being absolutely star-struck by all the players and definitely made me practice more!
How did you find yourself on this career journey?
After A levels, I went to Manchester University to study music and quickly became very involved in the Music Society, performing in their symphony orchestra and the opera pit band. Initially, I was set on becoming a double bassist, but in my final year, I became President of the Music Society, where I realised that I really enjoyed the organisational side. I then got a job at the Hallé Orchestra running their youth ensembles, before joining the RPO in the Concerts department.
What is the best thing about being part of the RPO family?
The variety and people! We undertake a plethora of concerts and projects, so no week is the same at RPO. The people at the RPO make it worth all the effort for sure – from the administration to the musicians, everyone really cares about what they do and works very hard to make each project work. It’s great to work somewhere where everyone shares a common goal and looks after one another.
Tell us about your favourite RPO journey.
I always enjoy being at the Royal Albert Hall as it’s nice to walk through Hyde Park from Paddington or during a rehearsal break.
Do you have any pre-concert rituals?
Not particularly, but a walk or being outside is always a good place to start, especially as I’m quite fidgety and not great at sitting still. Before my final double bass recital, I spent an entire day walking around the Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens in Manchester to clear my head, and it seemed to work!
Must listens – if you had to recommend one artist or composer, who would it be and why?
I absolutely love the Finnish folk band Frigg and would recommend their album Frixx. I also love the Danish String Quartet, and my favourite piece from them is Shine You No More; I heard it for the first time at Hallé St Peter’s, and it left me speechless – super uplifting and you can’t help but get goosebumps as it builds up to the end. I also love Olivia Deann, First Aid Kit, and listen to a lot of Ezra Collective.
Symphonic crossover – if you could work with any artist on a performance or project, who would you choose?
I would love to work with a group like Ezra Collective – not necessarily on a huge stage, but something more intimate and immersive.
Away from music, tell us two of your favourite hobbies and why they strike such a chord.
I spend a lot of time running, especially trail running. I’ve always been a very keen netballer, and I love being part of a close-knit team – the team I currently play for includes some of my closest friends, whom I’ve been playing netball with since primary school.
Dream dinner party – who would you invite, what would you cook?
I would love to be at a dinner party with Romesh Ranganathan or James Acaster/Ed Gamble from the Off Menu podcast as I think they would have me in stitches and I would love to talk through each dish. Realistically, I would probably opt for my closest group of girls as we all love to cook and two of my past colleagues from the Hallé, Stuart and Matthew – they used to make me laugh a lot on tour and they would be a lot of fun at a dinner party. I would probably pick salmon as the main piece, with a mixture of side dishes of roast vegetables and with lots of dips and breads – tapas style, but more Mediterranean.
First published May 2025