Artistic Director
"Madeleine Mitchell is not only a violinist of great virtuosity but also of a very special poetic quality..an independent pioneering figure, she brought her visionary imagination to the founding of her Red Violin festival. She succeeded in creating a unique series..a tremendous inspiration."
Helen Wallace, Editor BBC Music Magazine & Music Critic in her nomination of Madeleine for a Creative Briton Award.
Madeleine Mitchell has been described by the Chief Music Critic of The Times as 'one of Britain's liveliest musical forces' and by the Herald as 'a violinist in a million.. staggering virtuosity and unparalleled musicianship'. She has performed in 50 countries as a soloist in a wide repertoire in major festivals and venues and frequently broadcasts for television and radio including the BBC Proms.
Her latest album, Violin Conversations of premiere recordings of works mostly by living UK composers, several written for Mitchell, has been very favourably reviewed in both The Observer and The Telegraph: ‘Is Madeleine Mitchel the future of classical music?' It follows her successful previous Naxos album, no.2 in the Classical Charts. 2024 sees her make a major tour of Japan. A highly creative personality she won a Royal Philharmonic Society Enterprise Award to make a short film with the V&A Fabergé exhibition and the live quartet concert she curated with the London Chamber Ensemble which she founded:
Madeleine Mitchell has performed concertos including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Grace Williams Violin Concerto live for BBC Radio 3 and Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending, the Czech and Polish Radio Symphony orchestras, Wurttemberg and Munich Chamber, Kiev Radio/TV, St Petersburg Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic and other London orchestras, Orchestra of the Swan, Welsh Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra de Bahia Brazil and for the BBC.
As a recording artist with a wide discography, Madeleine has been nominated for Grammy and BBC Music Awards. Many well known composers have written works specially for her which she’s recorded including Sir James MacMillan and Michael Nyman. 'In Sunlight: Pieces for Madeleine Mitchell' (NMC) received rave reviews: 'The magnificent Mitchell...dedicated, penetrating musicianship' BBC Music Magazine ***** Her popular albums include Violin Songs and Violin Muse as well as FiddleSticks – with Lou Harrison Violin Concerto with Percussion Orchestra and companion pieces as part of a major award by Arts Council England for her collaboration with ensemble bash. She’s also championed early 20th century British music including Grace Williams Chamber Music, music by William Alwyn and Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time with pianist Joanna MacGregor, the widely recommended recording for many years. Her recording of the Suite written for her by Robert Saxton, premiered at Three Choirs Festival with Clare Hammond, was released last year and a new solo violin piece by Michael, Lord Berkeley will feature on an album for his 75th birthday in 2024. Following Madeleine’s British Treasures album for SOMM, her London Chamber Ensemble Quartet have been invited to record the original version of Howells String Quartet no.3 for release 2024.
In recital Madeleine Mitchell represented Britain in the Canberra International Music Festival, UKinNY at Lincoln Center, for the Queen’s Jubilee in Rome and ‘Great British Week’ in Kuwait. She has given recitals at Sydney Opera House, Seoul Center for the Arts – part of a 3 month world tour, in Vienna, Moscow, London’s Southbank Centre as well as Singapore, Wigmore Hall and for BBC Radio 3.
Amongst many awards, Madeleine won the Tagore Gold Medal as a Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music, where she is now a Professor, followed by the prestigious Fulbright/ITT Fellowship to study in New York for a Master’s Degree at the Eastman and Juilliard schools. She frequently returns to tour the USA, receiving standing ovations for her recitals in San Francisco,Texas and Kansas in 2023 with return invitations.
Madeleine is often invited to judge competitions and give master classes worldwide and is on the faculty of www.orfeomusicfestival.com in the Dolomites and www.lmfl.org, performing and teaching.