Maja Horvat - Violin
Mee-Hyun Esther Park - Violin
Edward Keenan - Viola
Wallis Power - Cello
Maja Horvat shares the higher power of music in her performances so that everyone can find comfort in art. She explores the magic of her instrument, giving contemporary pieces a good start in life and playing unknown gems from the 20th century as well as celebrated masterpieces.
Maja made her Wigmore Hall debut as first violinist of the Brompton Quartet, of which she is a founding member. In 2019 she was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Emily Anderson Prize. Maja has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra and has performed as concertmaster of the Royal College of Music Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestra and the Echo Ensemble. She is a Tillett Debut Scheme Artist for 2022/23.
In 2022 Maja graduated from the Royal College of Music London where she worked with internationally acclaimed performers including Maxim Vengerov, Alina Ibragimova, Ivry Gitlis, Nicola Benedetti, Daniel Rowland and Leonid Kerbel.
South Korean violinist Mee-Hyun Esther Park has performed internationally around the UK and Europe. Recent highlights include winning 1st Prize at the Royal College of Music Violin Competition 2022, 2nd Prize of RCM Concerto Competition 2022, and performing with Maxim Vengerov and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. Esther has received guidance from internationally acclaimed artists such as Alina Ibragimova, Shmuel Ashkenasi and György Pauk.
Esther has performed in prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, Korean Cultural Centre London, St James’s Piccadilly, and performed Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.1 with the RCM Symphony Orchestra for Maxim Vengerov at the RCM.
An avid chamber musician, Esther is a member of the Brompton Quartet, the winners of the St-Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition 2019 and RCM String Quartet Competition 2022.
Esther studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK and at the Royal College of Music, London with full scholarships for her Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies. She is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma degree at the RCM with Professor Radu Blidar with a full scholarship as an Orpheus Scholar supported by the Knights of the Round Table Award. Esther is also grateful for the support of the Help Musicians Postgraduate Award 2023.
Scottish violist Edward Keenan is currently based in London, and played violin for over a decade before starting the viola at sixteen. He studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Jane Atkins and at the Royal Academy of Music with Martin Outram, graduating with Distinction. At both institutes he won a variety of awards and prizes for solo and ensemble performances, such as the Watson Forbes Viola Competition, the Mabel Glover String Quartet Competition and the James White Award.
Edward is a busy chamber musician and especially enjoys exploring the works of Beethoven. Since joining the Brompton Quartet in 2023 he has enjoyed residencies at Wye Valley and Greater Malvern, and masterclasses with Alfred Brendel, Catherine Manson, and David Waterman.
Edward is also the co-principal violist and a founding member of the Broen Ensemble. The group was ensemble in residence at the RCS from 2018-2020, a recipient of the Tunnel Trust Awards in 2020, and has toured across Scotland several times since 2021.
When not performing chamber music, Edward enjoys a busy freelance orchestral career across the UK. He plays with a variety of orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, London Mozart Players, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Wallis has carved out a multifaceted performing career in both in her home city of London and abroad. Equally at home as a soloist, orchestral musician and chamber player, Wallis also enjoys teaching cellists of all ages.
As an undergraduate, Wallis read music at Pembroke College Cambridge, where she was an Instrumental Award Holder, active soloist, chamber musician and principal cellist of The Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra. While at university, Wallis took lessons with Melissa Phelps. She graduated with a Masters in Performance with distinction from the Royal College of Music in July 2019, during which time she studied under Richard Lester.
As a freelance orchestral cellist, Wallis regularly plays with The Philharmonia, The London Sinfonietta, The City of London Sinfonia, The London Philharmonic Orchestra and The Orchestra of The English National Opera.
Wallis is a founding member of the Brompton String Quartet, with whom she won the St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition in 2019. Wallis is also a member of the Farrenc Trio. They focus on commissioning new works and programming repertoire by female composers.
In April 2022, Wallis made her Concerto debut at the Easter Endellion Festival with a performance of Errollyn Wallen’s Cello Concerto. Upcoming highlights include a concert with The London Sinfonietta at the Purcell Room on 24th January and appearing as a soloist with Her Ensemble as part of the CrossCurrents Festival on 24th February.
