Meet Our Musicians

London Strings provides professional award-winning musicians for events

lucy gijsbers cello

Lucy – Cello

New Zealand-Dutch cellist and RCM scholar Lucy graduated top of her class in July 2018 with an Artist Diploma from the Royal College of Music, London.

Lucy loves travelling, and as a part of her work has performed in high-profile venues throughout the UK, Estonia, Italy, New Zealand and Australia, as a concerto soloist, chamber musician and orchestral cellist. One of the highlights of her career was performing the Elgar Cello Concerto in Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, at age 17.

Lucy moved to London in 2017 after completing a Master of Music in cello and piano performance at the New Zealand School of Music, where she also taught piano and music theory.

She regularly performs with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Oxford Philharmonic, Nordic Symphony Orchestra and when living in New Zealand, with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She works regularly in the Aorua Duo with pianist Hannah-Elizabeth Teoh, and one of their recent appearances was at the National Liberal Club, Whitehall. Lucy is also a qualified personal trainer, and when not playing music you will likely find her in the gym or running along the Thames!

Arda – Violin

Turkish violinist Arda was born in Ankara, and began to play the violin when he was 9 years old.

He has appeared many times as a soloist with the Hacettepe Youth and Academic Orchestras. In 2012, he performed several concerts as a soloist with the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Turkey as part of the Eurochestries International Music Festival in France. His performances received highly rated reviews from the French press.

Arda appears regularly as a guest artist at many concerts and recitals throughout Turkey, Europe and the UK. He also worked as a research assistant at the Yüzüncü Yıl University Turkish Music State Conservatory in Van where he was a violin professor between 2015-2017.

An ABRSM International Scholar, Arda graduated with a Masters in violin performance with Distinction from the Royal College of Music, London in 2019. As a member of Southbank Sinfonia, he has performed at important venues such as the Barbican Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall, King’s Place and the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms festival.

arda karakaya violin
arda karakaya violin

Arda – Violin

Turkish violinist Arda was born in Ankara and began to play the violin when he was 9 years old.

He has appeared many times as a soloist with the Hacettepe Youth and Academic Orchestras. In 2012, he performed several concerts as a soloist with the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Turkey as part of the Eurochestries International Music Festival in France. His performances received highly rated reviews from the French press.

Arda appears regularly as a guest artist at many concerts and recitals throughout Turkey, Europe and the UK. He also worked as a research assistant at the Yüzüncü Yıl University Turkish Music State Conservatory in Van where he was a violin professor between 2015-2017.

An ABRSM International Scholar, Arda graduated with a Masters in violin performance with Distinction from the Royal College of Music, London in 2019. As a member of Southbank Sinfonia, he has performed at important venues such as the Barbican Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall, King’s Place and the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms festival.

adam mazurek cello

Konstancja – Violin

Born in 1996, in Poland, Konstancja began her violin studies at the age of 7. After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Levon Chilingirian. 

Konstancja performs regularly with many ensembles, such as the Orpheus Sinfonia, the Sinfonia Cymru, the London Panufnik Trio and appeared as a soloist with the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Silesian Chamber Orchestra.
 Konstancja is also a laureate of numerous prizes in many competitions, including the 1st Prize at the London Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition 2015, the 2nd Prize at the Paris Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition 201 and the 3rd Prize at the International ‘Young Paganini’ Violin Competition 2014. 
She has also participated in many masterclasses and received tuition from many renowned musicians, such as Martin Chalifour, Friedemann Eichhorn, Jennifer Pike, Tom Poster, Caroline Presland, Krzysztof Smietana, Ralf Gothoni, the Danish String Quartet and the Gould Trio.  

Hannah- Piano

New Zealand-born pianist Hannah moved to the UK over ten years ago to study on scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. 

As a soloist, she has recorded with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and performed extensively in the UK and throughout Europe. She regularly works as a recitalist on luxury cruise lines, performing both as a soloist and as a chamber pianist.

As a Kiwi, Hannah is aware of a responsibility to bring the music of her home country overseas and her repertoire reflects this. Contemporary music is an important part of her life- she has worked with London based contemporary music ensemble Area 51 and premiered works by leading composers from New Zealand.

Hannah pursues many interests outside of music, including literature, philosophy, and the visual arts, and enjoys exploring ways of linking these disciplines to piano performance, developing and expanding the margins of the traditional concert format. 

Hannah-Elizabeth Teoh piano
Hannah-Elizabeth Teoh piano

Hannah – Piano

New Zealand-born pianist Hannah moved to the UK over ten years ago to study on scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. 

As a soloist, she has recorded with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and performed extensively in the UK and throughout Europe. She regularly works as a recitalist on luxury cruise lines, performing both as a soloist and as a chamber pianist.

As a Kiwi, Hannah is aware of a responsibility to bring the music of her home country overseas and her repertoire reflects this. Contemporary music is an important part of her life- she has worked with London based contemporary music ensemble Area 51 and premiered works by leading composers from New Zealand.

Hannah pursues many interests outside of music, including literature, philosophy, and the visual arts, and enjoys exploring ways of linking these disciplines to piano performance, developing and expanding the margins of the traditional concert format. 

may dolan viola

May – Viola

London-based violist May  is equally at home as both a chamber and orchestral musician. She has performed at Wigmore Hall alongside the NASH Ensemble and Cavatina Quartet, winners of the International Bloch Competition. May has performed with Annie Lennox, Boy George and most recently recorded and played the music in the Netflix hit series Bridgerton and The Crown.  

May has performed nationally and internationally with the London Symphony Orchestra, and she has a first class Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music and BMus (hons) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. 

Adam – Cello

Cellist Adam was born in 1994 to a family of musicians in Poznan. Aged six he began to study the cello with his father, and six years later he won his first international competition. Aged fifteen he made his solo debut with the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra Amadeus. 

Adam has participated in numerous festivals both as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician, and has performed in Poland, France, Estonia, Germany, China and Korea. He graduated with distinction from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in 2018, and since moving to London is furthering his studies at the Royal College of Music, where he is an RCM Award Holder supported by the Leverhulme Arts Scholarship.

adam mazurek cello
adam mazurek cello

Adam – Cello

Cellist Adam was born in 1994 to a family of musicians in Poznan. Aged six he began to study the cello with his father, and six years later he won his first international competition. Aged fifteen he made his solo debut with the Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra Amadeus. 

Adam has participated in numerous festivals both as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician, and has performed in Poland, France, Estonia, Germany, China and Korea. He graduated with distinction from the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw in 2018, and since moving to London is furthering his studies at the Royal College of Music, where he is an RCM Award Holder supported by the Leverhulme Arts Scholarship.

aleksandra bednarczyk violin

Aleksandra – Violin

Polish violinist Aleksandra graduated from the Royal College of Music in London in 2021. She has performed in Asia and Europe in venues including the Shanghai Concert Hall, Cracow Philharmonic, NFM in Wrocław, Lutosławski Concert Hall in Warsaw, the Palace of Nations in Geneve, Warsaw Philharmonic and Książ Castle.

During her studies, she was a recipient of the prestigious Frederick Johnston Scholarship. She was also awarded the “Sapere Auso” Foundation and the “Zwierciadło” Foundation scholarships and is a recipient of a fellowship from the Centre for the Thought of John Paul II and the City of Warsaw. 

Aleksandra has a deep interest in performing contemporary music. She collaborated closely with the Association of Young Polish Composers and collective “Gen.rate” resulting in premieres of works by Aleksandra Kaca, Martyna Kosecka, Adam Diesner and Tomasz Szczepanik at Warsaw Autumn Festival in 2016 and 2017.