63, Cambridge Street • London • SW1V 4PS
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7976 5041 • email: info@tashmina.co.uk
Victoria Simonsen
Cello
- 20th October 2011 - Cello by Giovanni Grancino, Milan 1687
Victoria is thrilled to be the recipient of a generous donation of financial assistance towards the purchase of a cello by Giovanni Grancino, Milan 1687. The donor was moved to make this extraordinary offer after hearing Victoria perform last year.
The donation came from the estate of Miss Barbara Hilda Knapton (b. 29 Dec 1919; d. 19 Aug 2010) and her sister Kathleen Mary Cavill (b. 5 Dec 1917; d. 20 Dec 2010) in accordance with their wish to help deserving young musicians. The sisters were born and brought up in Ebbw Vale, Wales. Their father was a Master Tailor who worked for the Co-op and then set up business on his own account, and their mother was from a small farming family at Dilhorne, in Staffordshire, where they spent many happy childhood holidays. Both became teachers, Miss Knapton at the Grammar school in Ebbw Vale and Mrs Cavill at a nearby primary school. Neither had children and, though generally friendly, they remained somewhat insular throughout their lives.
Victoria writes: “I wish to express a truly heartfelt thank you to the two ladies for their generosity, and also to the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. It means so much to me to have been given this opportunity, more than I can express in words – it really has brought a dream into reality. I also want to thank Mrs Gillian Ure and the Trustees of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust for their kind assistance and I am incredibly grateful for the Trust’s previous and continuing support of my career and for the wonderful work they do for so many young musicians.”The acquisition of a fine instrument is absolutely essential to furthering the career of a musician and allows them to compete on the international stage. Purchasing such an instrument is a huge financial barrier which can prove impossible to overcome due to the ever-increasing gap between musicians’ earnings and the cost of fine instruments.
Victoria will acknowledge the donation in part through an agreement with the estate to give annual concerts and free tuition to young cello players.
http://www.munstertrust.org.uk/
http://www.victoriasimonsen.com/
- 10th October 2011 - She was a Complete Star
A rather nice quote we came across on the web:
"When it came to the final sequence of traditional Last Night pieces, they played two elements of the Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs: Tom Bowling and the Hornpipe. Of course the hornpipe got everyone happy clapping along, but the cello solo on the Tom Bowling was absolutely magnificent. I reckon from my programme that must have been played by Victoria Simonsen and she was a complete star."
From: Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Last Night of the Proms, Derngate, Northampton, June 12th 2011 - The Real Chrisparkle reviews
- 5th July 2011 - 1st prize in the 2nd Johann-Andreas-Stein-Wettbewe
Victoria has won 1st prize in the 2nd Johann-Andreas-Stein-Wettbewerb für Instrumentalisten und Sänger, held on 3rd July at the Leopold Mozart Zentrum in Augsburg, Germany. She wins further performance opportunities and 1000 euro donated by the Leopold-Mozart-Kuratorium Augsburg.
- 28th June 2011 - 2011 ... and only half way through the year....
Victoria has had a busy 2011 to date, with the year being started off by a well-received series of clarinet trio concerts with Timothy Orpen and Daniel Tong, interspersed by recitals with the stunning pianist Marisa Gupta exploring some wonderful and intriguing French repertoire. Victoria was privileged to have the opportunity to perform Brahms' Double Concerto with violinist Tamsin-Waley Cohen in March and most recently she has given several concerts as guest Principal Cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In between, she has squeezed in a busy schedule as member of the Philharmonia Orchestra, projects with whom included a Mahler Cycle under Lorin Maazel, tours to Portugal, Germany, Italy, Turkey, concerts in Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle and working with esteemed conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Christoph von Dohnányi.
- 15th October 2010 - Professor Julius Berger - Leopold Mozart Zentrum
Victoria has been selected to join the prestigious Master Class of Professor Julius Berger at the Leopold Mozart Zentrum in Augsburg, Germany.
Victoria’s first performance in Augsburg will be 17th November 2010 with the 12 cellists of the Augsburg Philharmoniker as part of the Zukunft(s)musik series, performing music by Xenakis, Pärt and a world premiere of a work by Gordon Kampe.
- 30th September 2010 - Banff 2010
My three weeks at the Arts Centre in Banff, Canada, have left me refreshed and filled with energy, optimism and a desire to work harder and aim even higher.It goes without saying that it is one of the most beautiful and inspiring places for a summer school – I must admit, even though I had been told about it by previous attendees, on my arrival I was still absolutely stunned by the landscape and the environment in which the Arts Centre lies.
Read more....
- 1st April 2010 - Simonsen wins ESU Menuhin Banff Scholarship
Victoria Simonsen has been awarded the prestigious English-Speaking Union Music Scholarship 2010. As recipient of the 'ESU Menuhin Banff Scholarship', Victoria will attend the International Master Classes at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada. The scholarship covers 3 weeks of tuition, board and lodging and the cello faculty for this year's course include Colin Carr and Raphael Wallfisch.
Since 1970 the English-Speaking Union has been offering scholarships to enable talented young musicians to attend summer schools and festivals of international renown in North America, Europe and the UK. Over 250 musicians have benefited from the programme, among them Nigel Kennedy, Steven Isserlis, Robert Cohen and Tasmin Little. Not only do the ESU Music Scholarships allow exceptional individuals to develop their talents and further their training, they also provide a common ground on which people of different communities can meet, learn and understand.
- 11th November 2009 - 10-11 Recital Repertoire
Victoria Simonsen's programming suggestions for 10-11 are now available. Please see her repertoire page, which also includes some example programmes and her concerti repertoire.
- 15th May 2009 - The Barbirolli Quartet
This week marked the final performances of Victoria Simonsen as cellist in the Barbirolli Quartet, with concerts at Wigmore Hall in London and St David’s Hall in Cardiff.
Victoria was a founding member of the Barbirolli Quartet and during the past six years the quartet's achievements have included selection for the ECHO 'Rising Stars' series, winning a Tunnell Trust Award, a Kirckman Concert Society Award, The Countess of Munster Musical Trust Recital Scheme, 'Quartet in Residence' at Salford University, a Guildhall Artists Fellowship and engagements throughout the UK at major venues and festivals.
The quartet’s growing success and commitments has led it to now becoming a full-time ensemble. Victoria continues to be represented by Tashmina Artists as a solo cellist and both she and the agency are very much looking forward to developing her career further.
- 14th January 2009 - Brilliant account...utterly compelling - Observer
Read the reviews of Simonsen's recent Purcell room debut following her invitation to perform in the PLG Young Artists New Year Series 2009. Hilary Finch of The Times describes "the beautifully sensitive and composed cello playing of Victoria Simonsen" and Stephen Pritchard comments on her "brilliant account of Matthias Pintscher's Figgura V/Assonanza for solo cello" in The Observer.
- 18th November 2008 - Latest Press Reviews
You might like to read the reviews of two of Victoria's most recent recitals here.
The Plymouth Herald comments on her “scintillating playing” and "“gloriously rich tone with the neatest articulation and linear shaping" as part of "a reading of the highest order”.
- 23rd September 2008 - Simonsen selected as PLG Young Artist 2009
Victoria Simonsen makes her Purcell Room debut in January 2009, following her invitation to participate in the Park Lane Group's New Year Series. Simonsen will perform works for solo cello by Matthias Pintscher, Berio and Lyell Cresswell on the 8th January at 7.45pm and is delighted to have been selected to become a Park Lane Group Young Artist in 2009. Please see concert diary for full details.
- 20th February 2008 - Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition
We are delighted to announce that Victoria Simonsen is this year's winner of the ROSL Annual Music Competition's strings section.
- 20th January 2008 - "Victoria Simonsen stands apart.....
..... as one of the most talented cellists to have emerged over the past decade." Read the full review
- 6th January 2008 - British Music Society of York
If you are in the York area, you can hear Victoria in recital when she performs for the British Music Society of York on Friday 11th January 2008 with pianist Ben Powell. You can read David Denton's preview published in the Yorkshire Post here and full details of the concert can be found on Victoria's concerts page.
- 13th September 2007 - 2008 and beyond
From December 2007 Victoria relinquishes her position at Opera North and will be based primarily in London in order to further pursue her musical ambitions, particularly in the solo and chamber music fields.