Biography

I began learning the violin when I was 5 years old, when my local music service came into my school and I was fascinated by the sound of the violin. My older sister and I started learning at the same time and often we played duets together. One of my first memories is performing Bach’s Double Violin Concerto together with our local youth orchestra. My first experience of playing in an orchestra as a child was with the Kent Music Saturday music school, and when I was 11 I started playing in the Kent County Youth Orchestra, which really sparked my passion for orchestral playing. At this time I also started studying with Julian Milone, violinist from the Philharmonia Orchestra, and I remember going to watch one of their concerts at the Royal Festival Hall (a big day out for little me!) and being in awe of the orchestra, hoping to play like that some day! As a teenager I played in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO) for 4 years from 2018-2021, which concluded with playing Principal Second Violin at the BBC Proms in 2021. Performing in the Royal Albert Hall each year with NYO was a massive ‘pinch me’ moment.

I started studying at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music (RCM) when I was 16 (going to London every Saturday became the highlight of my week!). I took part in Symphony and Chamber orchestras, choir, musicianship classes, chamber groups, and piano lessons. It really was jam-packed! I began violin lessons with Ani Schnarch, whom I then continued on with for my Bachelor’s degree. I am very grateful to Ani for her passion and wisdom, for helping me become the violinist I am today, and continue to strive to be.

Moving to London in 2020 to start my Bachelor’s Degree at the RCM was very exciting. During my studies at RCM I was fortunate to take part in projects such as playing in the Sacconi Chamber Music Festival, a side by side project with members from the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and performing Principal Second Violin at the Royal Festival Hall for Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphony. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with conductors such as Maestro Antonio Pappano, Jac van Steen and Sir Andrew Davis. Whilst studying at RCM I was able to experience different kinds of music, from playing for the first time in an opera pit, to performing a whole concert of film music, and also getting to grips with contemporary compositions.

At the RCM I also developed my passion for education and community work, starting from the RCM Sparks programme, and am now an Ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation and teacher for Mini Mozart (early years group music classes). I participated in training schemes with the ‘London Early Years Music Network’ and ‘Music Masters’. I think it is so important as musicians that we use our skills in some way that not only benefits ourselves, but also can have a positive impact on communities. For me, music is a way to experience emotions and to give something back to help people feel something is really important to me.

I have loved that in recent years, playing the violin has opened up a whole world of opportunities for travel and new experiences for me, from going to Maine, USA for the Bowdoin International Music Festival (2022), to Poreč, Croatia for the British-Croatian Festival Orchestra (2022), to Oxford, UK for the New Virtuosi International Violin Mastercourse, and to the Cotswolds, UK for the Chipping Campden Festival Academy Orchestra (2024), a side by side training orchestra with professional players. I have also performed with the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra, English Arts Orchestra, and Brixton Chamber Orchestra, within the UK.

I was very happy to be accepted into the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, for young musicians in Europe, for the 2023 and 2024 tours. The inspiration I have gained from being surrounded by such amazing musicians has been something indescribable, and the experiences that I have had have really shaped me as a musician. It has been incredible to play in concert venues including the Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Musikverein Vienna, La Scala Milan, and Festspielhäuser Salzburg. I am really looking forward to where my orchestral career takes me next and excited for the future!

Outside of music, I love spending time with family and friends, cooking, playing games and escaping to the countryside whenever I can!