Thursday Lunchtime Concert – cellist James Conway, pianist Valentina Wang

Beethoven –  Variations in E flat major on ‘Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte

Penderecki – Capriccio per Siegfried Palm

Schumann – Adagio and Allegro

Poulenc – Cello Sonata

James Conway is a cellist currently studying for a Master’s degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Jonathan Aasgaard, his studies being supported by a scholarship from GSMD. He previouslystudied at the Royal Northern College of Music under Nicholas Trygstad.

During his time studying at RNCM, James was awarded the Leonard Rose Award for Cello, and was twice a finalist in the John Barbirolli Memorial Prize for Cello, as well as being a finalist in the RNCM Concerto Competition and Principal of the RNCM Symphony Orchestra. In 2022-23 James also won the opportunity to work with BBC Philharmonic on their Professional Experience Scheme and has performed with them in several concerts and recordings.

He has had the privilege of participating in masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians such as Miklós Perényi, Alban Gerhardt, Raphael Wallfisch, Roel Dieltiens, Julia Lichten, Hannah Roberts, and Steffan Morris. James has received coaching from principal players and members of the Hallé, LPO, LSO, RLPO, BBC Philharmonic, BBC NOW, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Harlem Quartet, Elias Quartet, Linos Trio, Trio Karenine amongst others.

He was a member of the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra 2022, through which he worked with renowned conductors and musicians such as Christoph Eschenbach, Karl Urbanski, Steven Isserlis, Veronika Eberle and Sean Shibe amongst others.

James previously studied at the Royal College of Music Junior Department under James Halsey and was awarded the Esther Coleman Prize for ‘outstanding contribution and achievement’. During his time at RCMJD, James was a highly active chamber musician and embraced the opportunity to play in the Purcell Room, as well as being Principal Cello of the RCMJD Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Cello for the recording and premiere of a new work for English National Ballet.

James was also a Cellist in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and in his second year was given the role of String Leader. With NYO, he has worked with some of the world’s leading conductors and soloists including Sir Mark Elder, Mark Wigglesworth, Kirill Karabits, Sir George Benjamin, Gustavo Dudamel, Duncan Ward, Tamara Stefanovich and Nicola Benedetti. The NYO gave James the opportunity to play in many of the UK’s most notable concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall (Proms), the Barbican, Royal Festival Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Snape Maltings, amongst others, as well as many venues abroad including the Konzerthaus in Berlin. He was Principal Cello of the NYO Inspire Orchestra in 2017, having been involved with the NYO Inspire Programme since the age of thirteen.

James plays on a Kennedy cello on loan to him from the Benslow Trust.