Benedetti Foundation Names Rachel Podger Masterclass Winners 

Six winners received masterclasses with the renowned baroque violinist as part of the foundation’s Baroque Virtual Sessions

The Benedetti Foundation was created in 2019 by Scottish violinist and music education advocate Nicola Benedetti. Open to all musicians, its annual Baroque Virtual Sessions specifically targets areas of the UK where high-quality music education is often under-resourced due to geographical or financial barriers. 

Six string players were selected by a panel of Benedetti Foundation tutors for masterclasses with the award-winning Baroque violinist Rachel Podger across two sessions.

Winners in the adult category and their masterclass pieces are:

• Alba Conejo Mangas (Spain) — Andante from J S Bach’s, Violin Sonata No 2 in A minor BWV 1003. 
• Guillaume Villeneuve (Canada) — The Annunciation from Biber’s Mystery Sonata.
• Riz Ramadhan (Indonesia) — Andante (1st movement) from Telemann’s Sonata in F, TWV 41:F4. 

The school-aged winners and their pieces are:

• Benjamin Giliker (UK, aged 13) — an extract from the Allegro from Vivaldi’s “Autumn” Concerto in F major from The Four Seasons
• Julia Majewska (Poland/UK, aged 15) — Adagio from Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor
• Sapphie Johnson (UK, aged 12) — Bach’s Allemande from Partita No. 2 in D minor

During the event on October 16, each winner received a 15-minute masterclass via Zoom with an audience, with Podger also leading a Q&A discussion at the end. The event concluded the Baroque Virtual Sessions which began on October 2, 2023.

The masterclasses can be viewed here.

“We are thrilled to introduce the six violinists from across the world who have won the opportunity to play in our masterclasses with internationally acclaimed baroque violinist, Rachel Podger, to close our Baroque Virtual Sessions,” the Foundation posted on Facebook. “A huge thank you to everyone who submitted a video application — we loved watching every one of them.”

The Baroque Virtual Sessions has been led by internationally acclaimed specialists including percussionist Adrian Bending; keyboardist Steven Devine; lutists Thomas Dunford and Elizabeth Kenny; violist Clifton Harrison; violinists Margaret Faultless and Alina Ibragimova; and cellist David Watkin.

More featured artists include three members of Il Pomo D’oro: violinists Zelfira Valova and Edson Scheid, and theorbo player Miguel Rincón Rodriguez.