Named BBC’s Young Musician of the Year in 2004, violinist Nicola Benedetti has captivated audiences and critics with her performances and poise, leading the London Times
to call her “a shining beacon for the beleaguered cause of classical
music . . .” Whether performing for a sold-out audience of 50,000 at Last Night of the Proms
or recording her debut disc, which rocketed to the top of the BBC music
charts, the Scottish violinist has taken the classical music world by
storm. By age 20, Benedetti had already played with many of the major
orchestras in her native U.K. and
toured the U.S. twice.
Born in Scotland of Italian heritage, Nicola began violin lessons at
the age of five. In 1997, she entered the Yehudi Menuhin School, where
she studied with Natasha Boyarskaya. Nicola left the Yehudi Menuhin
School at the end of 2002 and has since been studying privately with
Maciej Rakowski, whilst living in London and enjoying her busy
schedule. Nicola plays the Earl Spencer Stradivarius, courtesy of
Jonathan Moulds. She made her Boston debut at the Gardner Museum in
April 2007. (-ISGM Music)//// French pianist Julien Quentin
has established himself as a versatile and sensitive musician, an
artist in demand as both soloist and chamber musician. Dividing his
time between Berlin, Geneva, and New York, Quentin’s truly
international career has led him to Wigmore Hall in London, the Louvre
in Paris, and Alice Tully and Steinway Halls in New York. He has
appeared as an orchestral soloist and at festivals throughout Europe
and the U.S, and his performances have been broadcast in Canada, United
States, Japan, and various European countries. Quentin is a keen
chamber musician and has collaborated with artists such as Julian
Bliss, Corey Cerovsek, Colin & Eric Jacobsen, Jonathan Gandelsman, Karen Gomyo, Nicola Benedetti and Alisa Weilerstein.
Born in Paris in 1974, Julien Quentin started his studies at the Geneva
Conservatory with Alexis Golovine, and has completed an Artist Diploma
at Indiana University and a Graduate Diploma at the Juilliard School.
Quentin also pursues his interest in other genres of music through his
collaboration with composer Justin Messina and pianist Francesco
Schlimé in projects ranging from improvisation to producing electronic
music, written and performed by their Royale Inc. collective. (ISGM Music)
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