about
I am a London, Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire based violinist performing on both 'modern' and 'historical' violin set ups, which basically means I play on metal strings and gut strings, and with a whole range of bows from different eras. My stunning modern and baroque violins are made by North London based violin-maker extraordinaire, Tibor Szemmelveisz.
I have performed internationally as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, solo artist, folk fiddler, improviser and singer, as well as with my duo, Fran & Flora. While my background is in classical music, my musical horizons are broad: I am well versed in many styles of folk music and improvisation and have a keen interest in working with musicians from other cultures and with different art forms as a performer, improviser, recording artist and backing vocalist. I particularly love playing music for ceremonies, ritual and dancing.
Last May it was a great privilege for me to give my debut recital at the Wigmore Hall on baroque violin with harpsichordist Benedict Williams, performing music by Böddecker, Pandolfi, Bach and Corelli.
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Wigmore Hall recital with Benedict Williams, May 2019
My experimental folk duo, Fran & Flora (described as ‘a string duo bound for glory’ by Max Reinhardt of BBC Radio 3) released our debut album Unfurl in February to widespread critical acclaim. Last year we were interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC6 Music with Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 3 In Tune which were exciting and terrifying in equal measure!
My experimental folk duo, Fran & Flora (described as ‘a string duo bound for glory’ by Max Reinhardt of BBC Radio 3) released our debut album Unfurl in February to widespread critical acclaim. Last year we were interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC6 Music with Cerys Matthews, BBC Radio 3 In Tune which were exciting and terrifying in equal measure!
Debut album, Unfurl - Fran & Flora
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BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour interview day
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Recording the album at The Arboretum Studio, Bermondsey, feat. Linde Timmermans
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Last December saw the release of my debut classical album, Meditations and Laments, with violin/violin and viola duo Gaia Duo, with violinist + violist Piotr Jordan featuring an eclectic range of music including a stunning contemporary piece by friend and composer, Zac Gvirtzman. Recorded + produced by Zac Gvirtzman at Heath Street Baptist Church, Hampstead 2016, released 2019. Mixed + mastered by Alex Bonney. Now available on Spotify and Bandcamp. |
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Previous highlights...
...include being interviewed for This Classical Life (BBC Radio 3, Feb 2020); receiving funding the Arts Council to tour Fran & Flora's debut album Unfurl; receiving funding from Help Musicians UK to attend Yiddish Summer Weimar and KlezKanada last summer; winning the Royal Academy of Music Patrons Award 2019 with Benedict Williams joint with Sally Palmer; being invited to be last year's Artist in Residence at Ryedale Festival, and there leading performances of Dido and Aeneas, and performing a solo recital with harpsichordist, Pawel Siwczak; Fran & Flora being selected to play on the BBC Introducing stage at Latitude 2018; performing with The Bach Players; recording and performing William Carslake's The Singing Glacier; singing + playing on Jools Holland and Tiny Desk with Sam Lee; playing in Jocelyn Pook's Drawing Life, and giving a debut King's Place performance of Raag Pilu for JMIs 'Alternative Menuhin' with Sitar player, Sheema Mukherjee.
Experimenting with Sheema's sitar
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Tiny Desk concert with Sam Lee and Friends
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Fun at folk marathon NYE celebrations 2019-2020 with violin sister Lulu Austin!
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Collaborations
I am so blessed to have had many opportunities to have worked with such an array of incredible artists and projects over my 10 years+ working as a musician.
These include:
- folk singer and Mercury Prize nominee, Sam Lee;
- tabla player and Mercury Prize winner, Talvin Singh;
- historical performance ensembles including The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Bach Players, Music for Awhile and Ex Cathedra;
- orchestras English Touring Opera, Aurora Orchestra and The Multi-Story Orchestra;
- composers Jocelyn Pook, Nico Muhly, David Schweitzer, Isabel Waller-Bridge, Bill Carslake, Oliver Weeks and Linde Timmermans;
- virtuoso musician Tcha Limberger;
- eastern European + Klezmer bands: Dunajska Kapelye, She'koyokh and The London Klezmer Quartet;
- Bengali/London fusion band Khiyo;
- folk trio, TEYR;
- pop bands Hejira and artist Meilyr Jones;
- actor/musician/researcher Vivi Lachs and her band Katsha'nes;
- storyteller Chris Salisbury;
- baroque / folk band, The Twisted Twenty;
- chamber ensembles including The London Chamber Collective and The Keats Quartet;
- contemporary music groups Phaedra Ensemble, Project Instrumental, London Sinfonietta and the Brodsky Quartet;
- theatre companies including Deafinitely Theatre, Chai for All and MishMash Productions;
- and for dancing with Bricolage and the Ceilidh Liberation Front.
Collaborations
I am so blessed to have had many opportunities to have worked with such an array of incredible artists and projects over my 10 years+ working as a musician.
These include:
- folk singer and Mercury Prize nominee, Sam Lee;
- tabla player and Mercury Prize winner, Talvin Singh;
- historical performance ensembles including The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Bach Players, Music for Awhile and Ex Cathedra;
- orchestras English Touring Opera, Aurora Orchestra and The Multi-Story Orchestra;
- composers Jocelyn Pook, Nico Muhly, David Schweitzer, Isabel Waller-Bridge, Bill Carslake, Oliver Weeks and Linde Timmermans;
- virtuoso musician Tcha Limberger;
- eastern European + Klezmer bands: Dunajska Kapelye, She'koyokh and The London Klezmer Quartet;
- Bengali/London fusion band Khiyo;
- folk trio, TEYR;
- pop bands Hejira and artist Meilyr Jones;
- actor/musician/researcher Vivi Lachs and her band Katsha'nes;
- storyteller Chris Salisbury;
- baroque / folk band, The Twisted Twenty;
- chamber ensembles including The London Chamber Collective and The Keats Quartet;
- contemporary music groups Phaedra Ensemble, Project Instrumental, London Sinfonietta and the Brodsky Quartet;
- theatre companies including Deafinitely Theatre, Chai for All and MishMash Productions;
- and for dancing with Bricolage and the Ceilidh Liberation Front.
Jocelyn Pook's Drawing Life
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Katsha'nes
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MishMash's Hubbub
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Teaching
I teach 1-1 violin lessons (currently over zoom), grade 4+
I have also led workshops in ensemble playing and folk music for Jackdaws Music Trust, Crean Folk Camp, Theatre in the Fields, Centre for Youth Music (CYM), Klezfest and Klezmer South.
I am hoping to train in Kodaly and Eurythmics this year (2020-2021) with a view to teaching musicianship to Early Years, KS1 and KS2 students. I believe that with good foundations, the cultivation of the inner ear, and an emphasis on the social aspect of music-making from a young age that we give our children an even greater chance of enjoying listening to and participating in music making, whatever instrument or musical path they choose!
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Klezfest participants' concert, 2018 (improvisation ensemble)
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 competiton winner, Bickerdike Allen Prize and Roy Burcher Prize.
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
Competitions and Prizes: John McAslan Prize, DipRAM
Professors: Maureen Smith, Elizabeth Wallfisch
Highlights: Member of the elite string ensemble (Royal Academy of Music Sainsbury Soloists); public masterclass with Maxim Vengerov and Ruth Watermann; top distinction in Final Recital
Other
I have also studied extensively with Peter Hanson and have taken masterclasses with David Dolan and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
Passionate about Eastern European music and Klezmer, I have sought out many Eastern European music masters and teachers of improvisation including Tcha Limberger, Alan Bern, Ross Daly, Marcel Ramba and Marin Bunea.
I also have a BA in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics from King's College London.
Religion, spirituality and philosophy are great passions of mine, along with nature, the environment, trekking, dancing and community projects.
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 competiton winner, Bickerdike Allen Prize and Roy Burcher Prize.
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
Competitions and Prizes: John McAslan Prize, DipRAM
Professors: Maureen Smith, Elizabeth Wallfisch
Highlights: Member of the elite string ensemble (Royal Academy of Music Sainsbury Soloists); public masterclass with Maxim Vengerov and Ruth Watermann; top distinction in Final Recital
Other
I have also studied extensively with Peter Hanson and have taken masterclasses with David Dolan and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
Passionate about Eastern European music and Klezmer, I have sought out many Eastern European music masters and teachers of improvisation including Tcha Limberger, Alan Bern, Ross Daly, Marcel Ramba and Marin Bunea.
I also have a BA in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics from King's College London.
Religion, spirituality and philosophy are great passions of mine, along with nature, the environment, trekking, dancing and community projects.
Life seems all about being flexible right now, and making the most of this new openness in my schedule due to the coronavirus by embracing spontaneity, taking the opportunity to up-skill, taking more time to reflect and connect more with the people around me and the land... With this in mind, here's to finding a way through, towards a more beautiful, sustainable and fairer world! ...Violins not Violence (#XR)!
Life seems all about being flexible right now, and making the most of this new openness in my schedule due to the coronavirus by embracing spontaneity, taking the opportunity to up-skill, taking more time to reflect and connect more with the people around me and the land... With this in mind, here's to finding a way through, towards a more beautiful, sustainable and fairer world! ...Violins not Violence (#XR)!
