Rachel Roberts

Biography

Rachel Roberts has appeared as soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Manchester Camerata Chamber Orchestra, Kammerphilharmonie Graubunden and the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra. She performs chamber music at international festivals such as Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, Salzburg Festival, Wiener Festwochen in the Musikverein with Renaud and Gautier Capucon, Heimbach in Germany and Hamburg Oestertone.

Prizes for her chamber music recordings include the Diapason D’or in France for her recording of Bach Brandenburg 6 concerto with Antoine Tamestit, Supersonic Award of Pizzicato Magazine in Luxemburg and CD of the month in Fonoforum Magazine in Germany for her recording of Enesco Octet and Mendelssohn Octets with Christian Tetzlaff, Lisa Batishvili, Isabelle Faust and Antje Weithaas.

Rachel’s CD recording of Brahms Viola Sonatas and Schumann Marchenbilder with pianist Lars Vogt was received to critical acclaim by The Strad Magazine and by BBC Gramophone Magazine. In July 2013 she will record Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata and Shostakovich Viola Sonata, also with pianist Lars Vogt, the recording due for release in Spring 2014.

Rachel became the violist with the London Conchord Ensemble in Spring 2012, and has recently recorded Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio and Britten Phantasy Oboe Quartet with them. She will appear with them this season at the BBC Proms in August 2013 in a live internet and radio broadcast, and in October will appear in China for a chamber music tour with Tasmin Little and Piers Lane.

Rachel is the violist with the prize-winning Dante String Quartet and in February 2013 made a recording of Kodaly string quartets, due for release in Spring 2014. Other highlights of next season include a Wigmore Hall chamber concert with Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis and Denes Varjon

She was principal viola with the Philharmonia Orchestra from 2000-2010, appearing as soloist with them in venues including the Royal Festival Hall and St. John’s Smith Square under the baton of Christoph von Dohnanyi.

In the contemporary music field Rachel has premiered solo viola works by Tristan Murail and Derek Bermel in the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Rachel teaches viola at the Guildhall School and has given masterclasses at Chethams School of Music in Manchester and at Birmingham Conservatoire.