FUTURE maestros have perform during a week-long residency on the Boconnoc estate near Lostwithiel thanks to a special music award.
The Vox Quartet, comprised of students from the globally renowned Royal College of Music, have been named the 11th recipients of the prestigious Boconnoc Music Award. This accolade is presented annually to a select group of promising musicians, chosen from hundreds of students, and provides them with a unique opportunity to develop their craft.
Established in 2012 by the late Anthony Fortescue and his wife, Elizabeth Fortescue, the Boconnoc Music Award includes a week-long residency on the Boconnoc estate near Lostwithiel. This residency offers the winning musicians an inspiring and private setting to work intensively on their repertoire and technique.
During their residency, The Vox Quartet took advantage of Boconnoc's serene environment to rehearse, create, and prepare for several performances. They showcased their talents in concerts at Boconnoc House, Boconnoc Church, and even held a special performance for pupils at Doubletrees Primary School in St Blazey.
The Vox Quartet, currently second-year undergraduates, is a passionate ensemble featuring musicians from England, Ireland, and America who met during their studies at the Royal College of Music. Despite their diverse backgrounds, the quartet members share a deep love for chamber music and a commitment to honing their craft. They have received guidance from members of the Chilingirian and Sacconi Quartets.
Violinist Niamh Adams, a member of the Vox Quartet, has received numerous accolades, including the Gillman Music Award and the Lingfield Medal for Music in 2021. She is also a John Lewis Partnership Scholar, supported by the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Scholarship.
Niamh said: "We are thrilled and honoured to have received this award from Boconnoc Estate and Mrs Fortescue. We have really enjoyed all of our performances so far, as well as rehearsing in the serene and picturesque surroundings. Being away from the big city has allowed us to spend quality time together, fostering stronger connections as an ensemble. We are incredibly grateful to Mrs Fortescue and all at Boconnoc for this opportunity to develop as an emerging, young string quartet."
Emily Ames has been studying violin for 17 years and was the Vermont Youth Orchestra concertmaster and attended the youth orchestra at the New England Conservatory.
Irish cellist Catherine Cotter has won multiple prizes in the ESB Feis Ceoil, Ireland’s largest music festival. In September 2021, she was named the inaugural “Cellissimo" Ambassador for Music for Galway.
Viola Katharine Wing is a regular member of the RCM Philharmonic, and she recently played Principal second viola in the RCM’s New Perspectives project. At 11, Katharine joined the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain.