Curriculum Vitae
Name: Dunja Lavrova
Instrument: Violin
Website: www.dunjalavrova.com
Nationality: British (Russian-born)
Education:
• The Special Music School of St. Petersburg
(1993-1998)
• The Yehudi Menuhin School (1998-2003)
• The Royal College of Music, London (UG 2003-2007, PG 2007-2009)
Teachers:
• Vera Dobrynina and Olga Shapiro (1991-1998)
• Natasha Boyarsky and Lutzia Ibragimova (1998-2001) • Maciej Rakowski (2001- 2009)
• Baroque violin with Adrian Butterfield (2003-2006)
Lessons, Courses and Masterclasses with Igor Oistrakh, Zakhar Bron, Dora Schwartzberg, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pierre Amoyal, Robert Levin, Zvi Zietlin, Gordan Nikolitch, Rodney Friend and others.
Ensemble/ orchestral experience:
• Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1st violins) - 2019
• Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (1st violins, Co-Leader) - 2019
• Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne (1st violins) - 2019
• Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra (1st violins: Co-leader and Soloist/
Chamber Group Leader; Principal 2nd Violin) - 2018
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London (1st violins, Guest N3) - 2017
• Royal Opera House, London (Trial as Assistant Concertmaster)- 2010-2012
• London Symphonic Rock Orchestra (Member, Concertmaster) - since 2016
• John Wilson Orchestra (Member, 1st violins) – since 2012
• London Concert Orchestra (1st violins, Guest N3) - 2017
• Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (1st violins, Guest N3) - 2016
• Tchaikovsky Camerata, London (1st violins) - member since 2009
• Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (Guest Co-Leader/ Guest Principal
2nd violin) - since 2011
• Philharmonia Orchestra, London (1st violins) - 2010
• Aurora Orchestra, London (1st violins) - 2010
• Oxford Philomusica (Guest N2 and N3, 1st violins) - 2010
• BBC Symphony Orchestra, London (1st violins) – 2009
• The London Philharmonic Orchestra (1st violins, Guest N3) - 2009
• Halle Orchestra, Manchester (Guest N4, 1st violins)- 2008
• London Symphony Orchestra (1st violins) - 2006
Other:
• Highly-acclaimed debut solo album, “My Dusty Gramophone” (2015)
• Session musician with various leading record labels around U.K.
• Recordings with popular artists such as Seth McFarlane (with John Wilson Orchestra), Cliff Richard (leading Quartet)
• Performances and live radio appearances with popular artists such as Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Tina May, Hugh Jackman, Rita Ora, Kate Ceberano, Chris Hadfield, Liane Carroll, Gwilym Simcock and many others
• “Book Of Mormon", West End (deputy principal violin, regular performances) - since 2018
• Queen Machine, Denmark (Orchestra Leader) - 2016
• Australia’s “The Whitney Houston Show” (Orchestra Leader) - since 2018
• Ensemble Metamusika, UK (Leader/ Director) - since 2011
• “Dunja Lavrova and The Hot Three” (Leader/ Director) - since 2018
Solo performances at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Cadogan Hall, Conway Hall, Purcell Room, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Soho Jazz Club, National Gallery and other London venues. Concerts, festivals, recitals and performances with various orchestras in The U.K., France, Germany, Russia (including Television broadcasts) and South America.
Prize-winner of various competitions and awards, including: Tagore Gold Medal (presented by HRH Prince Charles, March 2010), The Young Artist of the Year (The Arts Club Mayfair, 2004), TWICA Competition (2004), The Shostakovich Competition (Germany, 1997), Bromsgrove Festival / International Young Musicians Platform (2008) among others.
"Queen Scholarship" (one of a kind) at The Yehudi Menuhin School and full international's scholarship the Royal College of Music.
Regular Chamber Music performances at various venues and Chamber Music Festivals in U.K., Europe, South America and Russia, including Bol’shoy Theatre (Moscow), Wigmore Hall (London) and Cadogan Hall (London).
Selected performance and solo album reviews:
"No praise can be too high for violinist Dunja Lavrova. She proves herself on a level of the great fiddlers of the past". - The Independent (UK), review of solo performance at Wigmore Hall
"Intentionally recorded close to the microphones without reverb in order to recreate the sound of the "golden age", Lavrova gives her all with winning spontaneity in a series of Heifetz favourites.” - "BBC Music Magazine" (UK)
"Lavrova certainly proves that she is an exquisite artist. She has a sweeter tone than Jascha Heifetz and her playing is extraordinarily expressive. She is a communicative artist, and I surely look forward to her future recordings." - Lynn Rene Bayley, "Fanfare" Magazine (USA)