Biography
Vida Bewley's role as a ceramacist is just the latest in a long list of achievements for this talented artist.
Staying close to her Leicestershire roots has always been key to Vida's success. Born in Barrow upon Soar in 1951 her first foray into pottery came when she crafted her first vase when she was just 7 years old at Loughborough's Rosebery School.
She moved with her family to Quorn and went to Rawlins Grammar School where she developed her love for music. A gifted pianist and violinist she toured with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra but it was as a soprano singer that she went on to make her career.
Vida won a place on the performers' course at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music and then in 1973 she was selected to perform the role of Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream under conductor Sir Charles Groves.
After a season performing at Glynebourne she was appointed soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and developed her repertoire to include works by Mozart and Bruchner.
Following her marriage, Vida returned to Leicestershire and spent two years teaching the violin before returning to opera as a soloist with Scottish Opera. Performances included Fiordi Lighi and Violetta in Traviata with Opera Go Round, and in the main company as Violetta in Traviata, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Niece in Peter Grimes, Leila in the Pearl Fishers and Inverno in L' Egisto.
Between performances she always returned to her Leicestershire base and her home on a farm at Six Hills. Vida retired from the stage to bring up her four children but was able to pass on her expertise teaching music and singing to children and adults in the area.
In 2005 she returned to the classroom when she was accepted by Loughborough University for a three year BA hons degree course in ceramics.
She graduated in 2009, and at her degree show displayed to the public for the first time her work based on the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream - which has won wide acclaim.
The characters Vida now so painstakingly crafts truly have their roots in Vida's singing career and her love of the Leicestershire countryside.
Staying close to her Leicestershire roots has always been key to Vida's success. Born in Barrow upon Soar in 1951 her first foray into pottery came when she crafted her first vase when she was just 7 years old at Loughborough's Rosebery School.
She moved with her family to Quorn and went to Rawlins Grammar School where she developed her love for music. A gifted pianist and violinist she toured with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra but it was as a soprano singer that she went on to make her career.
Vida won a place on the performers' course at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music and then in 1973 she was selected to perform the role of Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream under conductor Sir Charles Groves.
After a season performing at Glynebourne she was appointed soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and developed her repertoire to include works by Mozart and Bruchner.
Following her marriage, Vida returned to Leicestershire and spent two years teaching the violin before returning to opera as a soloist with Scottish Opera. Performances included Fiordi Lighi and Violetta in Traviata with Opera Go Round, and in the main company as Violetta in Traviata, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Niece in Peter Grimes, Leila in the Pearl Fishers and Inverno in L' Egisto.
Between performances she always returned to her Leicestershire base and her home on a farm at Six Hills. Vida retired from the stage to bring up her four children but was able to pass on her expertise teaching music and singing to children and adults in the area.
In 2005 she returned to the classroom when she was accepted by Loughborough University for a three year BA hons degree course in ceramics.
She graduated in 2009, and at her degree show displayed to the public for the first time her work based on the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream - which has won wide acclaim.
The characters Vida now so painstakingly crafts truly have their roots in Vida's singing career and her love of the Leicestershire countryside.
Curriculum Vitae
Qualifications and training:
2005 – 2009 BA (Hons) Ceramics, Loughborough University
Work and experience:
1968 – 1973 Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
1973 – 1978 Professional Musician including season at Glyndebourne and solo work with Halle and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras.
1979 – 1981 Principal Soprano, Scottish Opera
1981 – 2005 Self-employed music teacher – violin, piano and singing
1995 Qualified as a Reflexologist
Exhibitions and Galleries in 2009-10:
July – Loughborough University Degree Show
July – New Designers, Islington
Aug – Art in Clay, Hatfield
Oct – The Islington Contemporary Art & Design Fair
Jan – New Beginnings, SDC Gallery, London EC2
Jun – New Designers, One Year On, Islington
