James Barralet - Cello

As 2007 joint winner of the Abstract Securities Landor records competition, James Barralet will shortly be making his debut solo CD. James was winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Julius Isserlis scholarship in 2003, and since then t has given concerts throughout Europe, in India, Korea and the USA. He has performed at the Wigmore Hall and twice as soloist with Basel Symphony Orchestra playing Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 and Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations. Next season, he will give concerts at the Purcell Room as part of the Park Lane Group contemporary music young artist series and at the Bridgewater Hall and the Barber Institute. He studied with Hannah Roberts at the RNCM, graduating with a first class honours degree, a professional performance diploma and a post-graduate performer’s diploma and with Thomas

Demenga in Basel Hochschule für Musik, graduating in 2006 with the highest honour, the Soloist’s Diploma. James has had masterclasses with Ralph Kirshbaum, David Geringas, Boris Pergamenschikow, Benjamin Zander, Robert Cohen and Pieter Wispelwey. Contemporary music is important for James and he has premiered new works by composers Raymond Head, Isabel Klaus, Philippe Kocher and Reto Stadelman. He is a member of

innov’ensemble (soprano, flute, viola, cello) which specializes in contemporary music and performance. He also has studied north Indian classical music during a six month teaching visit to Calcutta and also with Ken Zuckerman at the Ali Akbar College of Music in Basel. He has won many accolades including the Muriel Taylor Cello Scholarship, a Hattori Foundation Senior Scholarship, the Sir John Barbirolli Cello Prize, the Nossek Prize, and second prize in the Bromsgrove International Competition. His arrangements have been performed at the Graz festival in Austria, and at the Stratford and Warwick International Festivals. “Infinitely musical” – Clifford Benson “A truly great cellist, moreover a truly great musician” Benjamin Zander