2024 performers
Katya Apekisheva
Katya Apekisheva, described as being a “profoundly gifted artist” by Gramophone magazine, is one of Europe’s most renowned pianists, in demand internationally as both a soloist and as a chamber musician. She has been marked out as a pianist of exceptional gifts, performing with many of the world’s leading orchestras, and has received widespread critical acclaim for her interpretations. Katya is a Professor of Piano at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Kit Armstrong
Born in 1992 in California, USA, Kit Armstrong studied physics at California State University, later chemistry and mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania and mathematics at Imperial College London. He has built a formidable career as a solo pianist since, performing in major international venues with some of the world’s finest orchestras. He has also developed a broad compositional oeuvre of solo, vocal, chamber and symphonic works.
Carducci String Quartet
The award-winning Carducci Quartet is internationally acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and versatile ensembles of today. Founded in 1997, the ensemble has won numerous international competitions, including the USA Concert Artists Guild International Competition, and First Prize at Finland’s Kuhmo International Chamber Music Competition.
Rose McLachlan
Born into a family of musicians in Cheshire, Rose McLachlan began piano lessons with her father, Murray McLachlan, aged 7. In 2016, Rose was the overall winner of the Scottish International Youth Prize at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and in 2017 was awarded the Yamaha Prize in the EPTA UK competition. She has won the Chopin Prize at both Chetham’s and at the Royal Northern College of Music. In November 2022, Rose was awarded the Musician’s Company Silver Medal.
Lara Melda
Lara Melda won the BBC Young Musician 2010 competition, performing Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in the final round with Vasily Petrenko and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff. Amongst many venues in the UK and abroad, she has performed at the BBC Proms, the Wigmore Hall, and the International Music Festival in Istanbul. In 2022, she curated a critically acclaimed multi-sensory Van Gogh immersive concert experience in collaboration with Exhibition Hub.
Charles Owen
Described by Gramophone magazine as “one of the finest British pianists of his generation”, Charles Owen has enjoyed an extensive international career performing a wide ranging repertoire to outstanding critical acclaim. Charles Owen is a Professor of Piano at the Guildhall School in London and was appointed Steinway & Sons UK Ambassador in 2016.
Susan Tomes
Susan Tomes has won numerous awards as ap ianist, both on the concert platform and in the recording studio. She grew up in Edinburgh and was the first woman to take a degree in music at King’s College, Cambridge, when co-education arrived at the college after 400 years. She is also a writer, and has written several acclaimed books, including the multiple award-winning The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces. Her seventh book, Women and the Piano – a History in Fifty Lives, was released in March this year.
Michael Wollny
Michael Wollny has established himself as one of the most important figures in contemporary European jazz. He has won numerous awards in Germany and beyond, including a ‘Choc de l’annee’ from Jazzman (France), a Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Award, and Album of the Year from Jazzwise and The Times for Weltentraum (2014).
Reinis Zariņš
Equally at home in classical and contemporary repertoire, Reinis Zariņš’s passion lies in the crafting of conceptual programmes that encourage interaction between music, history, and philosophy. He has performed as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician throughout Europe and North America, and has won Latvia’s Grand Music Award five times.
Stacey Watton
Stacey is Principal Double Bass with the London Chamber Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Orchestra of the Swan, Primavera Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Domaine, the English Soloist’s Ensemble, the National Symphony and the Johann Strauss Gala Orchestras. He is also a Principal Bass for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Stacey has also appeared as a guest principal with larger groups such as the Royal Concertgebouw, the Royal and London Philharmonics, the Hallé, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He is Principal Bass, Principal Conductor and Founder of the Esprit Ensemble LTD.
