Biography

Born in Scotland of Italian heritage, Nicola Benedetti began violin lessons at the age of five. In 1997, she entered the Yehudi Menuhin School, where she studied with Natasha Boyarskaya. She later continued her studies with Maciej Rakowski and Pavel Vernikov.

Ms. Benedetti’s 2016-17 season highlights include performances with the London Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Gothenburg Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Toronto Symphony among others. She performs Wynton Marsalis’s Violin Concerto (which was written for her) with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra. She also undertakes tours of North America with the Venice Baroque Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

With her regular duo partner pianist Alexei Grynyuk, Ms. Benedetti frequently performs recitals in the world’s leading concert halls and festivals. She is also a devoted chamber musician and has performed in a trio with cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei Grynyuk since 2008.  Recent and future performances include appearances at St. John’s Smith Square in London, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Edinburgh Usher Hall, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LSO St. Luke's, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Die Glocke Bremen, Hong Kong City Hall, two tours of South America, and engagements at the Edinburgh, Ravinia, Schloss Elmau, Engadin, and Cheltenham festivals. The trio makes its New York debut at the 92nd Street Y this spring.

Winner of Best Female Artist at the 2012 Classical BRIT Awards, Ms. Benedetti records exclusively for Decca (Universal Music). Her most recent recording features violin concertos of Shostakovich and Glazunov. Other highlights of her discography include Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Harding and Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy.

Committed to music education and developing young talent, Ms. Benedetti’s education and outreach initiative the Benedetti Sessions has given hundreds of young string players the opportunity to rehearse and undertake masterclasses alongside her. She also works regularly with Sistema Scotland, a musical partnership with Venezuela’s El Sistema. In 2013 she was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of her international music career and work with musical charities throughout the United Kingdom. 

Ms. Benedetti plays the 1717 Gariel Stradivarius violin, courtesy of Jonathan Moulds. She made her San Francisco Symphony debut in 2011.

(March 2017)