This track was selected by BBC Radio 3, World on 3, as "Pick of the Week" in 2018
flora curzon
London based violinist Flora Curzon is best known for her musical versatility. Performing on both 'modern' and 'historical' violin set ups, she has performed internationally as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, solo artist, folk fiddler, improviser and singer, as well as with her own duo, Fran & Flora. Whilst her background is in classical music, her musical horizons are broad: she is well versed in many styles of folk music and improvisation and has a keen interest in working with musicians from other cultures and with different art forms as a performer, improviser/composer, recording artist and backing vocalist.
Her unique combination of interests and skills have sparked a fast growing and eclectic career: This year her string duo, Fran & Flora, described as 'fiercely passionate' by the BBCs Max Reinhardt, was selected by Late Junction as one of the BBC Introducing artists.
She has collaborated with artists and ensembles including folk singer Sam Lee; tabla player Talvin Singh; historical performance ensembles Ex Cathedra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Music for Awhile; The Multi-Story Orchestra; composer Jocelyn Pook; virtuoso musician Tcha Limberger; ecclectic Eastern European bands Dunajska Kapelye, She'koyekh and The London Klezmer Quartet; Bengali/London fusion band Khiyo; stunning pop band Hejira; artist Meilyr Jones; actor/musician/researcher Vivi Lachs and her band Katsha'nes; storyteller Chris Salisbury; Baroque / folk group, The Twisted Twenty; chamber ensembles including The London Chamber Collective and The Keats Quartet; contemporary music groups Phaedra Ensemble, London Sinfonietta and the Brodsky Quartet; theatre companies including Deafinitely Theatre, Chai for All and MishMash Productions; and has played for dancing with Bricolage and the Ceilidh Liberation Front.
Her unique combination of interests and skills have sparked a fast growing and eclectic career: This year her string duo, Fran & Flora, described as 'fiercely passionate' by the BBCs Max Reinhardt, was selected by Late Junction as one of the BBC Introducing artists.
She has collaborated with artists and ensembles including folk singer Sam Lee; tabla player Talvin Singh; historical performance ensembles Ex Cathedra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Music for Awhile; The Multi-Story Orchestra; composer Jocelyn Pook; virtuoso musician Tcha Limberger; ecclectic Eastern European bands Dunajska Kapelye, She'koyekh and The London Klezmer Quartet; Bengali/London fusion band Khiyo; stunning pop band Hejira; artist Meilyr Jones; actor/musician/researcher Vivi Lachs and her band Katsha'nes; storyteller Chris Salisbury; Baroque / folk group, The Twisted Twenty; chamber ensembles including The London Chamber Collective and The Keats Quartet; contemporary music groups Phaedra Ensemble, London Sinfonietta and the Brodsky Quartet; theatre companies including Deafinitely Theatre, Chai for All and MishMash Productions; and has played for dancing with Bricolage and the Ceilidh Liberation Front.
Teaching
Flora also teaches privately and has lead workshops in ensemble playing and folk music for Jackdaws Music Trust, Crean Folk Camp, Theatre in the Fields and Klezfest.
Recent highlights
...include Fran & Flora being selected to play on the BBC Introducing stage at Latitude; being awarded a scholarship by the RAM to study for a Professional Diploma in Historical Performance and Improvisation (2018-2019); being asked to teach at Klezfest 2018; recording and performing William Carslake's The Singing Glacier; singing on Jools Holland with Sam Lee; performing at Kammer Klang with Phaedra Ensemble; performing in MishMash's children's production 'Smile'; playing in Jocelyn Pook's Drawing Life, giving a debut King's Place performance of Raag Pilu for JMIs 'Alternative Menuhin' with Sitar player, Sheema Mukherjee; and performing with the Multi-Story Orchestra at the 2017 proms.
Recordings of a recent concert with the Keats Quartet and Jonathan Sage (clarinet) in Norwich click here
Education
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she was a member of the elite string ensemble (Royal Academy of Music Sainsbury Soloists), Flora studied modern violin with Maureen Smith and baroque violin with Elizabeth Wallfisch. She gained a top distinction and was awarded the DipRAM for an outstanding final recital in the summer of 2014. She has also studied extensively with Peter Hanson and has taken masterclasses with Maxim Vengerov, Ruth Watermann, David Dolan and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
Flora has also studied with many Eastern European music masters and teachers of improvisation including Tcha Limberger, Alan Bern, Ross Daly, Marcel Ramba and Marin Bunea.
She has a degree in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics from King's College London.
Flora also teaches privately and has lead workshops in ensemble playing and folk music for Jackdaws Music Trust, Crean Folk Camp, Theatre in the Fields and Klezfest.
Recent highlights
...include Fran & Flora being selected to play on the BBC Introducing stage at Latitude; being awarded a scholarship by the RAM to study for a Professional Diploma in Historical Performance and Improvisation (2018-2019); being asked to teach at Klezfest 2018; recording and performing William Carslake's The Singing Glacier; singing on Jools Holland with Sam Lee; performing at Kammer Klang with Phaedra Ensemble; performing in MishMash's children's production 'Smile'; playing in Jocelyn Pook's Drawing Life, giving a debut King's Place performance of Raag Pilu for JMIs 'Alternative Menuhin' with Sitar player, Sheema Mukherjee; and performing with the Multi-Story Orchestra at the 2017 proms.
Recordings of a recent concert with the Keats Quartet and Jonathan Sage (clarinet) in Norwich click here
Education
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where she was a member of the elite string ensemble (Royal Academy of Music Sainsbury Soloists), Flora studied modern violin with Maureen Smith and baroque violin with Elizabeth Wallfisch. She gained a top distinction and was awarded the DipRAM for an outstanding final recital in the summer of 2014. She has also studied extensively with Peter Hanson and has taken masterclasses with Maxim Vengerov, Ruth Watermann, David Dolan and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
Flora has also studied with many Eastern European music masters and teachers of improvisation including Tcha Limberger, Alan Bern, Ross Daly, Marcel Ramba and Marin Bunea.
She has a degree in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics from King's College London.
"...a particular treat...exquisite..."
Drafted Magazine, April 2015
