Maxim Calver - cello

Award-winning British Cellist Maxim Calver made his concerto debut in Symphony Hall, Birmingham as part of the Grand Final of BBC Young Musician 2018. His performance of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC 4, was praised for its ‘natural ease’ and ‘emotional lyricism’. Earlier in the competition he won the Strings Category Final

Throughout his young career Maxim has performed in many prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and Royal Festival Hall. His Concerto highlights have included Brahms' Double Concerto with Tianyou Ma, finalist of the International Menuhin Violin Competition 2018, as well as multiple performances across the UK of Elgar's Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations.

Maxim currently studies at the Royal College of Music with Professor Melissa Phelps, where he is proud to be the Hargreaves and Ball Trust Scholar supported by a Herbert Howells & Thomas Fielden Scholarship. Maxim is also very grateful to be a Hattori Foundation Junior Award recipient. Previous to his studies at the RCM, Maxim was a pupil at the Yehudi Menuhin School where he studied with Thomas Carroll for ten years. He has also participated in masterclasses with some of the worlds leading cellists including Steven Isserlis, Heinrich Schiff, Julian Lloyd Webber, Paul Katz and Guy Johnston.

Maxim is grateful to the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) for their generous support in their aftercare scheme for BBC Young Musician Finalists.

Maxim plays an Alberto Aloysius Blanchi cello, dated 1906.

Matthew Coleridge

Composer and conductor Matthew Coleridge (b.1980) is an exciting voice in the British choral music scene. His first choral composition - the Corpus Christi Carol - was recorded by a cappella group The Queen's Six, appearing on the cover CD of BBC Music Magazine's Christmas edition in 2015.

His highly melodic and very approachable compositional style often blends elements of plainsong and medieval music with shimmering modern harmonies - weaving simple melodic lines into rich tapestries of sound.

Requiem (composed 2014-15) was hailed by the late Sir Neville Marriner as "a valuable addition to the 21st century choral repertoire". Is is regularly performed by choirs across the UK, and overseas.

Matthew's 'Requiem in a Day' choral workshops are very popular amongst choral singers, giving them the opportunity to sing this wonderful piece in some of the UK's most prestigious church buildings.

The Real String Orchestra

The Real String Orchestra, based in Stratford Upon Avon, is a mix of local music teachers, performers, young talents from music schools, conservatoires and adults who play at a high standard. The orchestra was founded by Tori Rushton, a former principal cellist at the Paris Symphony Orchestra.

Laurence Caldecote

Organist Laurence Caldecote holds a BA Hons in Music Composition and Professional Practice from Coventry University and studied composition with Robert Ramskill. He was one of the accompanists to the Performing Arts Choir, under Paul Leddington Wright, and gained further experience in choral leadership whilst Director to the Coventry University Performing Arts Chamber Choir.

He currently holds the position Associate Organist at St. Nicolas Parish Church, Nuneaton. He accompanies the choir there for services, concerts, the annual tour to Bridlington Priory and accompanied the service of Lessons and Carols in December 2007 which was broadcast on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire.

As an organ recitalist, Laurence has played many venues around the UK including the Anglican Cathedrals of Bradford, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Wakefield as well as Christchurch Priory, St. Bride’s Fleet Street, London, Blenheim Palace, and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.