Following a wholesome state education in Derbyshire and Cheshire, Heather Birt won a place to study music at Oriel College, Oxford, and went on to gain scholarships at Trinity College of Music for two postgraduate diplomas in viola and baroque violin.

Heather works as a freelance baroque musician with ensembles such as The Gabrieli Consort, The Classical Opera Company, The Sixteen, The English Concert , Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Charivari Agréable. With these ensembles she has performed throughout the UK, in Europe and beyond. Heather has performed in several BBC Promenade concerts and festivals including Buxton Festival, the Lufthansa Baroque Festival, and Festival de la Chaise-Dieu.  She appears on many recordings, including the highly regarded Pachelbel Vespers CD with the Kings Singers.

A committed chamber musician, Heather is an active member of many ensembles including Minerva, OXUS, The Boxbury Trio and The Holywell Ensemble. Minerva specialises in baroque performance, performing at venues including the Handel House museum, and the De La Warr Pavilion in Brighton.  OXUS is an exciting and highly accomplished string quartet with a strong commitment to contemporary repertoire, with recent performances at the Holywell Music Room and the Institute for Contemporary Arts.

Heather plays Double Bass in Allen Beechey's Bright Stars of Jazz, and with the John Petters Swing Band.  She is regularly invited to play bass with many other bands, and solo artists including Sammy Rimmington on his UK tours.  She has performed at many jazz festivals including Holywood, Brecon, Eindhoven, Keswick, Swanage, Bude, Birmingham, and Soho.

Heather has been Head of Strings at the School of St. Helen and St. Katharine in Abingdon since 2002, where she has had enormous success expanding student participation in chamber music. She now co-ordinates a weekly rehearsal schedule of 17 ensembles.

In her spare time Heather enjoys reading novels, languages including French and Italian, the outdoors, travel and cookery.