about
I am a London based violinist performing on both 'modern' and 'historical' violin set ups, which means I play on both metal strings and gut strings, and with a range of bows from different eras.
My main musical interests are in early music (in particular, music from the Baroque and Classical periods), 20th century and contemporary music, traditional Jewish and Romanian music, folk music from across the British Isles and free improvisation. I also enjoy discovering music that is being made today in response to life around us across all genres, and exploring traditional music from around the world.
I have performed internationally as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, solo artist, folk fiddler, improviser and singer, as well as with my experimental folk duo, Fran & Flora, Highlights include performing solo at the Wigmore Hall and Kings Place, as well as live on Jools Holland, Tiny Desk, BBC Radio 4s Woman's Hour and BBC6 Music with Cerys Matthews. I have released albums including Unfurl (Fran & Flora, Feb 2019), and Meditations and Laments (Gaia Duo, Dec 2019), and was interviewed on BBC Radio 3 This Classical Life with Jess Gillam in February 2020.
education
2018-2019
Royal Academy of Music - Professional Diploma in Historical Performance supported by the RC Wyse Bequest Award
Professors: Rachel Podger, Nicolette Moonen, Margaret Faultless
Competitions and Prizes: Music Patrons’ Award 2019 competition winner, Bickerdike Allen Prize, Roy Burcher Prize, DipRAM
Highlights: Solo recital at the Wigmore Hall; leader of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis; top distinction in Final Recital
2012-2014
Royal Academy of Music - Masters in Violin
Professors: Maureen Smith, Elizabeth Wallfisch
Competitions and Prizes: John McAslan Prize, DipRAM
Masterclasses: Maxim Vengerov, Ruth Watermann
Highlights: Royal Academy of Music Sainsbury Soloists; collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet
Other
Violin studies with Peter Hanson and classical improvisation masterclasses with David Dolan
Eastern European / Klezmer music studies with Tcha Limberger, Alan Bern, Ross Daly, Marcel Ramba and Marin Bunea, and attended many world-leading Klezmer courses including Yiddish Summer Weimar (Cookie Segelstein) and KlezKanada (Jake Shulman-Ment)
BA in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics from King's College London (2008-2011)
what the press says...
"Curzon's violin flickers and burns on a Doina learnt at the feet of Hungarian Roma violinist István 'Kiscipás' Varga."
Clive Bell, The Wire 2019
"a particular treat...exquisite"
Drafted Magazine 2015
Drafted Magazine 2015