The Watkins Duo, formed by violinist Rhys Watkins and cellist Rowena Calvert, choose music that they love and then either arrange it themselves or have it arranged, this means they always perform music they want to without compromise! The violin and cello is unconventional enough as a duo for them to attempt any repertoire so their programmes include multiple genres and styles of music from different eras and parts of the globe.
Welsh violinist Rhys Watkins has an established career as a soloist, recitalist and orchestral Leader. Rhys graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and became a member of the First Violin section of the LSO in 2009. He has since enjoyed performing in most of the world’s major concert halls and has represented the Orchestra by giving recitals in embassies in Beijing, Tokyo, New York and Madrid.
Rhys has been a finalist and prize-winner in several major international competitions including the Jeunesses Musicales International Violin Competition (Belgrade) and the Paganini International Violin Competition (Moscow). Rhys is a member of the award-winning Artea String Quartet with whom he has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and BBC Proms. The Artea Quartet have made numerous live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and have recorded several CDs of the Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets under the Champs Hill label to great critical acclaim.
Rowena Calvert, Artistic Director of the Hertford International Concert Series and former cellist of the Cavaleri String Quartet currently leads an enormously varied and enjoyable career as a soloist and chamber musician.
Rowena‘s wealth of chamber music experience with the Cavaleri String Quartet has included first prize at the 2012 Hamburg International Chamber Music Competition, second prize at the 2014 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and the ‘Special Prize’ at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition.
The quartet were also winners of the 2011 Royal Over-Seas League Ensemble Competition in London, resulting in concerts at the Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, along with frequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. The quartet went on to tour extensively in South America, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Europe giving live radio broadcasts in each country. Rowena left the quartet in 2015, having recorded CDs under the Champs Hill label and Fonteney Classics, each met with great critical acclaim.
As a soloist, Rowena has performed in the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Queens Hall, as well as making appearances at both the Manchester and Kronberg Cello Festivals. In addition to Rowena’s studies, she had lessons from Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich and Steven Isserlis. 2018 engagements include performances of the Saint Saens, Vivaldi and Elgar Cello Concertos as well as the Brahms Double Concerto with her husband, Rhys Watkins.
Welsh violinist Rhys Watkins has an established career as a soloist, recitalist and orchestral Leader. Rhys graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and became a member of the First Violin section of the LSO in 2009. He has since enjoyed performing in most of the world’s major concert halls and has represented the Orchestra by giving recitals in embassies in Beijing, Tokyo, New York and Madrid.
Rhys has been a finalist and prize-winner in several major international competitions including the Jeunesses Musicales International Violin Competition (Belgrade) and the Paganini International Violin Competition (Moscow). Rhys is a member of the award-winning Artea String Quartet with whom he has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and BBC Proms. The Artea Quartet have made numerous live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and have recorded several CDs of the Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets under the Champs Hill label to great critical acclaim.
Rowena Calvert, Artistic Director of the Hertford International Concert Series and former cellist of the Cavaleri String Quartet currently leads an enormously varied and enjoyable career as a soloist and chamber musician.
Rowena‘s wealth of chamber music experience with the Cavaleri String Quartet has included first prize at the 2012 Hamburg International Chamber Music Competition, second prize at the 2014 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and the ‘Special Prize’ at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition.
The quartet were also winners of the 2011 Royal Over-Seas League Ensemble Competition in London, resulting in concerts at the Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, along with frequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. The quartet went on to tour extensively in South America, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Europe giving live radio broadcasts in each country. Rowena left the quartet in 2015, having recorded CDs under the Champs Hill label and Fonteney Classics, each met with great critical acclaim.
As a soloist, Rowena has performed in the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Queens Hall, as well as making appearances at both the Manchester and Kronberg Cello Festivals. In addition to Rowena’s studies, she had lessons from Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich and Steven Isserlis. 2018 engagements include performances of the Saint Saens, Vivaldi and Elgar Cello Concertos as well as the Brahms Double Concerto with her husband, Rhys Watkins.
