Pablo Hernán Benedí, violin

Pablo Hernán Benedí was born in Madrid, where his journey with the violin began. His initial training took place at the Padre Antonio Soler Conservatory in San Lorenzo de El Escorial under the guidance of Polina Kotliarskaya. His early promise in music was evident, and in 2009, he moved to London to further his studies at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Here, he was mentored by distinguished violinists David Takeno and András Keller. Benedí’s education was supported by scholarships from the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund (MMSF), Juventudes Musicales, and La Caixa. An influential figure in his development has been Gordan Nikolic, with whom he has maintained regular contact since the age of 14.

In 2010, Pablo Benedí became a member of the renowned Chiaroscuro Quartet. With this ensemble, he has performed at some of the world’s most esteemed concert venues, including London’s Wigmore Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus, Berlin’s Boulez Saal, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Tokyo’s Oji Hall, and the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid. The quartet boasts an extensive discography and has received numerous accolades, notably the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik in 2015, Germany’s most prestigious CD award.

Pablo Benedí is also a founding member of the Trio Isimsiz, established in 2011. The trio has garnered significant recognition, winning the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award Fellowship, first prize and the audience prize at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition, and second prize at the Haydn Vienna Competition. Their future engagements include performances at the Beethoven Haus as part of the Complete Beethoven’s Chamber Music series and the complete Beethoven Trios at the Wigmore Hall in London. They are also commissioning a new trio from composer Francisco Coll.

As a soloist, Pablo Benedí has performed with several prominent orchestras, including the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Chamber Players, and Concerto Budapest. He is also a regular collaborator as leader or section leader with ensembles such as Arcangelo, Concerto Budapest, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and the Swedish Radio Orchestra.

Pablo Hernán Benedí performs on the “Alard” J.B. Vuillaume violin from 1851 and a 1570 Andrea Amati violin, which he plays with his quartet.

Pablo Hernán Benedí’s career is marked by his versatile performances both as a soloist and chamber musician. His contributions to the Chiaroscuro Quartet and Trio Isimsiz highlight his commitment to exploring the depth of chamber music while his solo performances demonstrate his virtuosity and expressive range. As he continues to engage with audiences worldwide, Benedí’s artistry remains a testament to his dedication and passion for music.

Hélène Clément, viola

Hélène Clément is an internationally acclaimed French violist celebrated for her rich, expressive playing, deep dedication to chamber music, and inspiring contributions to the next generation of musicians. Born in France in 1988, Clément has carved out a remarkable career that bridges solo, chamber, and orchestral work, while embracing her adopted musical home in the UK since moving to London in 2013.

From an early age, Clément was drawn to the voice of the viola — its warmth, subtlety, and emotional depth. Her ferocious enthusiasm for chamber music and the viola repertoire has led her to collaborate with a wide range of artists, ensembles, and composers, continually expanding her musical horizons. She performs regularly in many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, the Cité de la Musique in Paris, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

Clément’s chamber music collaborators are among the most distinguished artists of our time, including Mitsuko Uchida, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Nicolas Altstaedt, Benjamin Grosvenor, Alexander Melnikov, and Peter Wispelwey, as well as esteemed ensembles like the Brentano String Quartet and the Nash Ensemble. She is a regular participant at elite international festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival in the United States and Prussia Cove in the UK, both known for their focus on deep musical collaboration and artistic exploration.

As the violist of the Doric String Quartet from 2013 to 2024, Clément was an integral part of one of Europe’s leading chamber ensembles. With the quartet, she performed in major venues across Europe, North America, Asia, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand, bringing both passion and precision to a broad repertoire ranging from Haydn to contemporary commissions. The Doric String Quartet records exclusively with Chandos Records, and their critically acclaimed discography includes works by Haydn, Britten, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Schubert, among others. Their performances were praised for their clarity, insight, and unity, with Clément’s playing bringing a radiant inner voice to the ensemble’s finely honed sound.

In addition to her performance career, Clément is a passionate teacher and mentor. She teaches viola and chamber music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she nurtures a new generation of players with the same energy and curiosity that define her own artistry. She is also one of the Artistic Directors of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival, where she plays a key role in guiding young professionals through an intensive week of coaching, rehearsals, and performances. Her work at the festival emphasizes musical exchange, mentorship, and the spirit of shared discovery.

Clément performs on a historically significant 1843 Italian viola by Francesco Giussani, once owned by Frank Bridge and later by Benjamin Britten, who composed many of his key works with this very instrument in mind. The viola is generously on loan from Britten Pears Arts. This connection to British musical heritage holds deep meaning for Clément, who has performed and recorded works by both Bridge and Britten, including a Chandos recording with Alasdair Beatson and Sarah Connolly, honoring the legacy of the instrument and the composers who wrote for it.

Known for her warmth on stage, musical integrity, and the emotional honesty of her playing, Hélène Clément brings depth, intelligence, and poetic nuance to everything she does. Whether in intimate chamber settings, teaching studios, or leading young musicians on the Isle of Mull, she continues to shape and inspire the global chamber music community.

Maria Włoszczowska, violin

Maria Włoszczowska is a Polish violinist acclaimed for her versatility, expressive artistry, and thoughtful musicianship. Equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster, and director, she has established herself as one of the most distinctive and engaging performers of her generation.

Maria began the 2022/23 season with a major milestone: her BBC Proms solo debut, performing Kaija Saariaho’s Vers toi qui es si loin with the Royal Northern Sinfonia under Dinis Sousa. As Leader of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, she regularly directs programmes from the violin, blending leadership and performance with natural musical authority. Highlights have included directing and performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, which showcases both her technical mastery and her deep interpretive insight.

Her international presence continues to grow. She makes her Hong Kong debut at the Musicus Festival, and this season also joins the violin faculty at Yellow Barn, Vermont — a renowned hub for creative musical exploration. As a recitalist, Maria gave her New York debut at 92NY, performing all six Bach Sonatas for violin and keyboard with pianist Jeremy Denk. Their musical partnership continues this season with performances at the Lammermuir Festival.

Maria Włoszczowska appears regularly at Wigmore Hall and is a frequent guest at major international festivals, including Musikdorf Ernen, IMS Prussia Cove, Yellow Barn, and Lammermuir Festival. Her chamber music partners include a remarkable roster of artists such as Thomas Adès, Alasdair Beatson, Philippe Graffin, Bengt Forsberg, Benjamin Grosvenor, Steven Isserlis, Steven Osborne, Hyeyoon Park, Timothy Ridout, and the Doric String Quartet. These collaborations reflect both her artistic curiosity and her commitment to high-level ensemble playing.

In 2023, Maria Włoszczowska founded the Valo Quartet, which she leads. The ensemble made its debut in Brussels under the auspices of Festival Resonances, drawing acclaim for its dynamic and sensitive interpretations.

A major facet of Maria’s artistic identity is her work with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, one of the world’s most respected chamber orchestras. Alongside her guest appearances as concertmaster, she now also serves as an Artistic Director with the orchestra, helping shape its artistic vision while continuing to perform in a leadership role. She has also worked as guest leader with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras across the UK and her native Poland.

This season, she returns to Leipzig’s Gewandhaus, appearing as soloist with Reinhard Goebel and the Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum, bringing her deep affinity for historically informed performance into focus.

Maria has received several major awards, including the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Emily Anderson Prize, the Hattori Foundation Senior Award, and Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage Prize. In 2018, she was awarded both First Prize and the Audience Prize at the XXI Leipzig International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition, a recognition of her deep connection to Bach’s music and her poetic, intelligent playing.

She studied with András Keller at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she developed a refined and distinctive voice under the mentorship of one of Europe’s great violinists and conductors.

Maria Włoszczowska plays on a Francesco Stradivari violin, whose warm, expressive tone perfectly complements her nuanced and deeply communicative playing. With a growing international reputation and a passionate commitment to musical exploration, she continues to shape a multifaceted career that brings together solo performance, chamber music, orchestral leadership, and artistic direction at the highest level.

Christian Ihle Hadland has, over the past decade, established himself as one of Norway’s leading pianists and a true craftsman of his instrument. Known for his refined touch, musical sensitivity, and deep interpretive insight, he is equally at home in solo, concerto, and chamber settings. His delicate and intelligent approach has made him a sought-after artist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages.

Born in Stavanger in 1983, Christian Ihle Hadland began playing the piano at the age of eight and showed early promise. At eleven, Christian was admitted to the Rogaland Music Conservatory, and in 1999 he began studies with the renowned teacher Jiří Hlinka, both privately and at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. This strong foundation led to his professional concerto debut at the age of fifteen with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK).

In 2011, Christian came to international attention as a BBC New Generation Artist, a prestigious scheme that supports emerging talents. During his two-year tenure, he performed with all five BBC orchestras across the UK and gave a series of solo and chamber recitals broadcast by the BBC. He concluded this residency with a major highlight: performing Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with the Oslo Philharmonic under Vasily Petrenko at the BBC Proms, where his playing was praised for its “pearly” tone and “otherworldly” expressiveness by the London press.

Christian has appeared as a concerto soloist with all the major orchestras in Scandinavia, including the Oslo Philharmonic, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, and the Helsinki Philharmonic. In the UK, he has performed with the Hallé Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, and several BBC ensembles. Recent international engagements include his debut with the Orchestre National de Lyon under Leonard Slatkin, a return to the Helsinki Philharmonic with Thomas Søndergård, and concerts with the BBC Philharmonic and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. His appearances in France, Germany, and Japan have also been widely praised.

A highly respected chamber musician, Christian is the Artistic Director of the International Chamber Music Festival in Stavanger, a position he has held since 2010. He is a frequent guest at Wigmore Hall, where he made his solo debut in 2013, and is a regular artist at the Bergen International Festival. He has also performed at the BBC Proms Chamber Music Series, collaborating with ensembles like the Signum Quartet. His chamber partners include Susan Graham, with whom he toured Australia in 2015 alongside the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and Renée Fleming, with whom he performed at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in 2006.

Christian Ihle Hadland’s discography is rich and diverse. His recording of Mozart piano concertos with the Oslo Philharmonic was nominated for a Spellemann Prize, Norway’s top recording award. He won the prize in 2015 with Holberg Variations, recorded with Ensemble 1B1. His collaboration with cellist Andreas Brantelid on a disc of works by Grieg and Grainger (BIS) was chosen as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice. Other recent highlights include The Lark (Simax), nominated for the 2017 Spellemann Prize, and Nordic Rhapsody with violinist Johan Dalene, showcasing music from across the Nordic countries.

Christian Ihle Hadland has collaborated with many of the world’s finest conductors, including Sir Andrew Davis, Herbert Blomstedt, and Thomas Dausgaard. He continues to perform across Europe and beyond, earning acclaim for his poetic sound, stylistic integrity, and deep musical understanding.

Whether in the concert hall, recording studio, or chamber setting, Christian Ihle Hadland brings a thoughtful, human quality to every performance, confirming his place as one of the most gifted and versatile pianists of his generation.

Kerstin Thiele, flute

Kerstin Thiele is a distinguished flutist renowned for her dynamic performances and commitment to both classical and contemporary repertoire. Since 1986, she has been a vital member of the Esbjerg Ensemble, Denmark’s oldest professional international chamber music group, contributing significantly to its artistic direction as a board-appointed member.

Thiele’s musical journey began serendipitously when she joined her local brass band to fill a need for a flutist, sparking a lifelong passion for the instrument. She pursued formal studies under solo flutist Toke Lund Christiansen at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and further refined her artistry with Professor André Jaunet in Zurich.

Beyond her ensemble work, Thiele is an esteemed educator at the Danish National Academy of Music, where she mentors the next generation of flutists. Her international career encompasses performances across Europe and collaborations with leading composers and musicians.

Thiele’s discography includes notable recordings such as “Roger Reynolds: Wind Concertos”, where she features prominently alongside the Esbjerg Ensemble, showcasing her versatility and dedication to contemporary music. This recording is available on platforms like Apple Music and ProStudioMasters.

Ron Chen-Zion, clarinet

Ron Chen-Zion has been a member of Esbjerg Ensemble since 1993. The Esbjerg Ensemble, Denmark’s oldest professional international chamber music ensemble, is renowned for its dynamic performances and commitment to contemporary and classical repertoire, contributing significantly to the international and Danish music scene.

“When I was 11, I happened to get the mail one day and found among them an advertisement that read: “Learn to play an instrument inonly three months”.

When I subsequently turned up at the music school, they only had one instrument for loan: the clarinet. We were two students who had to share the instrument and because we had clarinet lessons onThursdays, the other student and I each had the clarinet three days a week”.Ron Chen-Zion began his studies with Richard Lesser of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1986 he moved to the US where he continued his studies and graduated from the New England Conservatory.

In 1990, Ron Chen–Zion was appointed solo clarinetist atThe State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra. As achamber musician, he has quite frequently been invited to Rudolf Serkins Marlboro Music Festival in the United States and has performed in most of Europe, Israel and the Americas. Ron Chen-Zion has recorded several CDs, including one highly praised rendering of Max Regers’ pieces for clarinet and piano.