Elly Suh, violin
Praised as “a sensitive and absorbing interpreter” (Musical America), violinist Elly Suh has received numerous prizes at international competitions including the Naumburg, Moscow David Oistrakh, Premio Paganini, Indianapolis, Michael Hill, and Leipzig Bach Competition, amongst others. Recent and forthcoming highlights include performances with the Orchestra della Toscana, Orchestra della Magna Grecia, Berliner Symphoniker, Korean Chamber Orchestra, Leipzig Pauliner Ensemble, NY Classical Players, and the Lviv Philharmonic. She has appeared on such stages as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall, and performed at the Salzburger Festspiele, Al Bustan Festival, and Lerici Festival. Elly Suh studied at The Juilliard School in New York and the Mozarteum University of Salzburg under the guidance of Pierre Amoyal, Robert Mann, Joel Smirnoff, and Sally Thomas. She plays on a Guarneri del Gesù violin, through the kind assistance of Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.
Sumina Studer, violin
Award-winning violinist Sumina Studer has gained recognition for his musical prowess through various international competitions and performances in Asia, Europe, the United States, and Oceania, and avidly collaborates on stage with world-renowned artists such as Ray Chen, Julien Quentin, and his sister cellist, Sayaka Selina. Connecting classical music with millennial culture, Sumina is active on various social media platforms with over 14 million views on Youtube alone, with a mission to make classical music recognizable to younger generations. Born in 1997 and raised in Zurich, Sumina Studer studied with Simone Zgraggen at the Zurich Conservatory of Music. She completed her bachelor’s degree with Prof. Antje Weithaas at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin and received her master’s degree under Catherine Cho and Sylvia Rosenberg at the Juilliard School in New York City. Additional studies have included professors such as Ana Chumachenco, Aaron Rosand, Pamela Frank, Roland Vamos, Boris Kuschnir, Mihaela Martin, Pierre Amoyal, Ulf Hoelscher and others.
Eivind Ringstad, viola
Norwegian violist Eivind Ringstad is a soloist and a regular fixture on the thriving chamber music scene in Europe, acknowledged for his great musicianship and profound technical mastery. Acclaimed for his expressive richness and emotional intimacy, he performs not only the instruments core repertoire, but takes initiative to create and perform new transcriptions of virtuoso showpieces, and continually commissioning contemporary works for the viola. Currently Ringstad is co-artistic director for Norsjø Chamber Music Festival which takes place annually in Telemark, Norway. Ringstad made his breakthrough in 2012 after winning 1st Prize at the Eurovision Young Musicians’ Competition in Vienna. Soon after he joined the BBC New Generation Artists Scheme, as well as being one of the first participants in Crescendo, a Scandinavian mentorship program offeringguidance from musicians like Janine Jansen, Noah Bendix-Balgley and Leif Ove Andsnes. Ringstad plays the Andrea Guarneri “Conte Vitale” viola dating from 1676, generously on loan from Dextra Musica.
Adrian Brendel, cello
Creative innovation and musical versatility are qualities that characterize Adrian Brendel, a cellist who grew up in the great musical tradition of Central Europe. His love for contemporary music arose during his teens when he discovered works by Kurtág, Kagel and Ligeti; it has flourished since with landmark commissions and pioneering collaborations with such diverse composers as Thomas Adès, Harrison Birtwistle, Peter Eötvös and György Kurtág. Adrian’s enormous musical passion also embraces jazz and world music and influenced his decision to join the Nash Ensemble in 2014. Born in London in 1976, Adrian studied cello with William Pleeth and soon shared his teacher’s profound attachment to chamber music. Later he took lessons from Alexander Baillie and Franz Helmerson in London and Cologne and participated in master classes with Kurtág, Ferenc Rados, members of the Alban Berg Quartet and with his father, Alfred Brendel. Musical partners with whom he regularly performs include Till Fellner, Kit Armstrong, Henning Kraggerud, Lisa Batiashvili, and Alasdair Beatson.
Vitaly Pisarenko, piano
First Prize winner of the 8th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in Utrecht Third Prize winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition, 2015 “…Immensely gifted pianist…with prodigious technique, myriad shadings and scrupulous accuracy…” New York Times After winning the First Prize at the 8th F. Liszt International Piano Competition in Utrecht and the Third Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition London-based Ukrainian-Russian pianist Vitaly Pisarenko has been steadily gaining worldwide recognition. Vitaly’s packed tour schedule commenced straight away the morning after the Finals with an appearance at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Vitaly regularly performs across the globe as a recitalist and a chamber musician. Past concerts include appearances at the Wigmore Hall, Musikverein in Vienna, Bozar in Brussels, National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing, Shanghai Concert Hall, Mozarteum in Salzburg, de Singel in Antwerp, Toyota Concert Hall in Japan, Hong Kong City Hall, Salle Cortot in Paris and Palace of Arts in Budapest. As a soloist Vitaly collaborated with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Noord Nederlands Orchestra, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra on tour in Japan, KBS Symphony Orchestra, Het Gelders Orchestra, the YMSO and others performing at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Cadogan Hall in London, Big Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, Tokyo Opera City, Seoul Arts Center, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Sala San Paulo in Brazil and De Doelen in Rotterdam among others. The Association of Music Critics of Argentina recently presented Vitaly with the ‘2018 Revelation Award’. Recently Vitaly has been performing intensively in the UK, including performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, St Martin in the Fields, Champs Hill, Chopin Society UK, BMS York and others. Vitaly started his musical education in his native Kiev, Ukraine with Natalia Romenskaya and in Kharkiv with Garri Gelfgat. Later on, he commenced his studies in Moscow with Professor Yuri Slesarev at the Central Music School and State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. From 2005 to 2008 Vitaly studied with Aquiles delle Vigne at the Codarts, Rotterdam and from 2009 to 2012 he was a student of Oxana Yablonskaya in Italy. Since September 2012 Vitaly has been a student at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studies with Professor Dmitri Alexeev. Vitaly completed his Master’s degree with distinction in 2014 and Artist Diploma degree in 2015 and is currently a Doctoral course student as an Emma Rose Memorial Scholar and a Bob and Sarah Wigley and Helmut Schuster Scholar. Starting from 2012 Vitaly has also been studying with Professor Boris Petrushansky at the ‘Incontri col Maestro’ Academy in Imola, Italy. Since January 2020 Vitaly is a principal study teacher at the Purcell School for young musicians. In September 2021 he has been appointed an Assistant Professor of piano at the Royal College of Music, London.