Tasya Hodges

Nataysa "Tasya" Hodges plays the cello in electric string quartet band eScala
Personal Life
Her mother is Croatian, her father is English. After spending a few years in Croatia where she started playing the cello, her life was interrupted by war and the family moved to Brussels settling there for two years. However, Tasya’s cello playing suffered and she was sent to board at the Yehudi Menuhin School where she received a scholarship. In her years there, she practised hard and had the opportunity to perform in famous venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and the Purcell Room. She returned to England when she won a scholarship to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey. She then trained for four years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she won a prize to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra for three months.
In the final, they once again performed "Palladio", but didn't get enough public votes to make the top three acts and the show was won by street dancer George Sampson.
Controversy
The four members of Escala are professional musicians who have had experience of performing in orchestras and on tour. However, with Britain's Got Talent being a competition for "undiscovered talent", their experience was said to run counter to the spirit of the show, which Escala refuted, with Izzy Johnston saying, "It’s supposed to be open to everyone, professional and amateur alike."
The members of Escala denied that they played at the X Factor wrap party, with Izzy Johnston saying that she had played as part of a string section backing for Michael Bublé in his appearances as a guest on the show.
Name change
The quartet changed their name from Scala to Escala during Britain's Got Talent after it was discovered that there was already a Belgian choir using the name Scala - Scala & Kolacny Brothers. They changed the name to Escala after EMI threatened to sue, despite having used the name Scala for two years. After the show they put a lower case 'e' on the beginning to eScala but have since then reverted to Escala.
After Britain's Got Talent
On 6 June 2008 Escala performed at the first night of the nationwide Britain's Got Talent tour in London and on 8 June it was revealed that they had signed a £1.5million contract deal with Sony BMG.
In July 2008 they were signed to perform as part of a new promotional campaign for Sky Sports coverage of the 2008-09 football season. The high profile campaign began airing on 19 July with Escala performing "Palladio", was filmed at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London and featured them performing with clips from football matches. The promotion campaign was also used to promote other upcoming sports events on the channel.
Escala performed at the 2008 FA Community Shield on 11 August at Wembley Stadium, and accompanied Hayley Westenra when she sang the national anthem.
On 20 September 2008, Escala performed at the rugby union challenge match at Twickenham Stadium, London in aid of wounded British servicemen and women. On May 11, 2009, Escala made their American debut on Oprah as part of her World's Got Talent show with Simon Cowell.
Debut album
Escala revealed their debut album, Escala, to an audience of about 400 media at Whitehall Palace, London on 23 September 2008. Produced by Trevor Horn, it is set for release on 25 May 2009. On 29 October 2008 they performed the soundtrack for the premiere of the James Bond film Quantum of Solace at the Odeon Leicester Square during the London Film Festival.
In late March and April 2009, Escala began a regional promotional tour of the United Kingdom. In March 2009 it was also revealed that Escala would collaborate with Slash on a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" for their album; another electric quartet, bond had covered the song in a similar style for their Shine album. Other songs which are to appear on Escala's album are Snow Patrol's "Run", Robert Miles's "Children" and Wings' "Live and Let Die".

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