VIDEO PODCAST: James Ross and Eric Fraad discuss Streaming, Downloads and CDs with Maria Nockin, Mary Mogil, David Arditti, Gerald Fenech, John Daleiden, John Dante Prevedini, Lucas Ball and Stephen Francis Vasta.
SPONSORED: CD Spotlight. A Fascinating Recording - John Joubert's string quartets, heard by Alice McVeigh.
All sponsored features >>
The young Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti was born in West Kilbride on 1 July 1987 to a Scottish mother and an Italian father. She studied with Natasha Boyarskaya at the Yehudi Menuhin School, with Maciej Rakowski in London and Pavel Vernikov in Vienna.
She won the 2004 BBC Young Musician of the Year competition with Szymanowski's Violin Concerto No 1, and signed a recording contract with DG / Universal in the same year. She has recorded newly commissioned works by James MacMillan and John Tavener, has explored authentic baroque performance and has worked with Wynton Marsalis on jazz-influenced repertoire. She has played with most major orchestras in the UK and Ireland, and is performing increasingly in Asia, mainland Europe and North America.
Ensemble. Hugely Enjoyable - Bernstein, Marsalis and Musorgsky from Nicola Benedetti, Cristian Măcelaru and the Hallé Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Sheer Naked Energy - Mike Wheeler is impressed by Mendelssohn and Beethoven from Nicola Benedetti, Tom Service, Nicholas Collon and Aurora Orchestra
Ensemble. Bringing Together - Roderic Dunnett visits James MacMillan's Cumnock Tryst
Ask Alice - On Nicola Benedetti, losing the 'Max' in Max Bruch and the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain, with Classical Music agony aunt Alice McVeigh
Ensemble. Full of Delights - Nicola Benedetti and the European Union Chamber Orchestra, heard by Mike Wheeler
CD Spotlight. Marvelously Incisive - Rózsa and Korngold violin concertos, recommended by Howard Smith. '... breathtaking virtuosity from soloist and orchestra alike.'
Ensemble. Tremendous Energy - Mahler and Mozart in Nottingham, reviewed by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Which Concerto? - A concert by the European Union Chamber Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler