Lydia Dobson graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2018 with a First Class BMus Hons Degree after studying with Richard Lester, where she was kindly supported by the Henry Wood Trust. Prior to this, Lydia was a student at the Purcell School, studying with Pal Banda and Lionel Handy at the RAM. She also enjoyed four years in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. 

Lydia is an experienced and passionate orchestral musician who currently enjoys regular engagements with English National Opera and has done so since 2017. She has also worked with BBC Philharmonic, including the BBC Proms, London Sinfonietta, New London Sinfonia and bookings for Isobel Griffiths LTD. Lydia has experience of orchestra leadership, having sat Principal and Co-Principal at the Purcell School and during her time at the RCM. 

As a soloist, Lydia has covered all of the standard repertory and is always keen to extend the canon of works, to include contemporary, unfamiliar and unusual pieces from the classical, baroque and romantic eras. In 2017, she performed a live recital on BBC 3 In Tune, where she played works by Paganini and Schumann, and in later that year, premiered a cello concerto by Paul Ibbotson. As a chamber musician, Lydia performed in a variety of ensembles at the RCM and frequently performed with the Richard Lester Cello Ensemble, a highlight of which was a performance of Steve Reich Cello Counterpoint, in the presence of the composer. Currently she plays with The Aurelia Piano Trio. Lydia has participated in masterclasses with Johannes Goritzki, Alexander Baillie, Jo Cole, David Strange and piano trio masterclasses with Christoph Richter. 

Lydia plays on a beautiful mid -18th Century French cello by Augustin Chappuy and a late 19th Century cello by Georges Lotte. 

In her spare time, Lydia enjoys arranging and recording works for solo cello, country walks, learning languages and embroidery.