Callum Smart attracted wide public attention at the age of thirteen having won the strings category of the 2010 BBC Young Musicians Competition performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Vasily Petrenko. In the same year he went on to become the top European prize-winner at the Menuhin Competition and now enjoys critical acclaim for his silky tone, lyrical lines and accomplished interpretations.

Callum recently made his debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, a work he visits again this season with re-invitations from the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

In 2013 he made his North American debut with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Grant Llewellyn; other concerto appearances have seen him perform with orchestras including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, Orpheus Sinfonia and Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, in repertoire from Mozart and Beethoven to Glazunov, Britten and Prokofiev.

Now with two recital discs to his name, 2016 saw the release of Callum’s second disc on the Orchid Classics label with pianist Richard Uttley. ‘La Voix’ – including works by Fauré, Poulenc and Ravel – featured as one of the Strad Magazine’s recommended recordings of the month, and was accorded 4 star reviews both in the BBC Music Magazine and the Observer.

Performing in recital at venues including London’s Wigmore Hall, the Konzerthaus Berlin and the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Callum’s partnership with Richard Uttley continues this season with recitals across the UK and a new collaboration with horn player Ben Goldscheider. Other recital performances have seen Callum appear at a number of European festivals including the Cheltenham Festival, Dvořák Festival in Prague, Menuhin Festival, Mecklenburg Vorpommern and the Malmö International String Festival.

Callum began his studies with Maciej Rakowski whose tutelage continued alongside his studies at the Chetham’s School of Music. As the recipient of the Premier Young Artist Award, Callum is completing his studies with Mauricio Fuks at the Jacobs School of Music in Indiana.

Callum plays on a c.1730-35 violin by Carlo Bergonzi.

Website: www.callumsmart.com