Midori Komachi, Japanese-born violinist, has performed as a soloist and chamber musician extensively throughout Europe and Japan.
Midori studied in Basel, Switzerland at the age of 12 where she was named a 'Young Talented Student' at the Basel Music University. Subsequently she made her debut as a soloist with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Howard Griffiths. Since then she has appeared in some of the prestigious venues, including Tonhalle Zurich (Switzerland), Muza Kawasaki (Japan), Philharmony Warsaw (Poland), Wigmore Hall, St.Martin-in-the-Fields, St.George's Bristol (UK). She has also given recitals at festivals in the UK, including the Norfolk and Norwich Festival in 2012, as well as festivals in France, Holland and Hungary.
In October 2012, Midori completed her Master of Music degree with Distinction at the Royal Academy of Music, where she has been supported by the Seary Charitable Trust and the William Barry Trust. In 2010 she received her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from RAM. Over these years she studied with Maurice Hasson and Tomotada Soh. Midori is a recipient of numerous prizes, including the Friends of RAM/Honorary Patrons' Development Award, Max Pirani Prize, Sir Arthur Bliss Prize and MBF Emerging Excellence Award. As an active chamber musician, she has performed alongside renowned artists such as the Kreutzer Quartet, Stephan Picard and Nobuko Imai.
Along with her performing career, Midori has founded various concert projects based on several research topics. In 2012, her Delius Project culminated in a series of her concerts in London, Cambridge and Tokyo. This project was featured in the Arts & Collections International Magazine and the Nikkei Newspaper (Financial Times) in Japan. In January 2013 she was awarded the Delius Society Certificate for her performances of the Delius Violin Sonatas.
In October 2013 she recorded her first album based on her "Delius and Gauguin" Project in Chicago, with pianist Simon Callaghan. This CD is due to be released in March 2014. As the recipient of the Emerging Excellence Award 2012 from the Musicians Benevolent Fund, Midori has developed a cultural exchange project in UK and Japan, working with composers from both countries.
Midori is very grateful for the generous support of the William Barry Trust, the Delius Trust and Arts Council England for her current activities.
Ian Brown is a musician of versatility whose career embraces solo playing, chamber music and conducting.
As concerto soloist he has played with many of Britain's leading orchestras including the BBC Symphony, BBC Philharmonic and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, the London Sinfonietta and Mozart Players. He also appeared as soloist at the Proms in Messaien's Oiseaux Exotiques.
He is the pianist of the Nash Ensemble and during this long association has played at all the major British Festivals, annually in their Wigmore Hall series and recorded a large repertoire of chamber music. He also teaches at Cambridge University and at the Royal Academy of Music.
He is in demand as a duo player, having worked with many distinguished musicians including Rostropovich, Maxim Vengerov, Isserlis, Kirshbaum, Thomas Allen and Dame Felicity Lott. He has a regular Duo with Min Kym with whom he has recorded Beethoven and Brahms Sonatas.
In recent years he has worked as a conductor with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, City of London Sinfonia, English Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He made his London debut with a highly successful performance of Mahler's ?Resurrection' Symphony at the Barbican. He has conducted in Poland and the Czech Republic and at the Israel and Prague Festivals. He regularly visits the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra as soloist and conductor, and last year had a series of ?ve concerts with the Philharmonia Orchestra and toured with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis as soloists.