Artist description Simon Hewitt Jones is the 2001/2 ABRSM (Associated Board) undergraduate scholar at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studies with Hu Kun. He has participated in masterclasses with violinists such as Ruggiero Ricci (at Dartington International Summer School), Tasmin Little and Vasko Vassilev, and was awarded a Jerwood Scholarship to the IMS Prussia Cove Masterclasses with Lorand Fenyves in April 2002. Simon is laureate of several competitions (Kensington 1998, Guildford Jellinek awards 1999, Croydon 2000, Sevenoaks Young Musician 2001, Ealing 2002), all of which have led to acclaimed concerto performances around London and the Southeast (“a born performer… a name to watch” – Croydon Advertiser. “Fresh and exciting and with such a maturity of sound one couldn’t fail to be drawn into it” - Sevenoaks Chronicle, January 2002). The orchestras he has worked with as concerto soloist include Kensington Philharmonic, Guildford Symphony, St. John’s Orchestra Sevenoaks, Lydian and Lambeth Orchestras. As a chamber musician, Simon has performed in many major venues such as the South Bank Centre and St. John’s, Smith Square in London, at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival, in piano trio masterclasses at the Wigmore Hall with the Vienna Piano Trio, and in BBC radio and television entertainment programmes. Simon was a member of the National Youth Orchestra for four years, and in 2001 was leader/soloist in chamber orchestra Concerto Grosso performances at the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London. He led the RAM String Orchestra during his first term at the Royal Academy, and was awarded a Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in December of the same year. Since September 2001 he has been a founder member of the Artea Quartet, which he co-leads. The quartet has given several concerts at the Royal Academy of Music, and made their debut public recital in June 2002. The quartet is due to give a 13-city UK Tour of Shostakovich Quartet No.9 in collaboration with the Henri Oguike Dance Company (choreographed for performance with contemporary dancers), and will appear at the Royal Academy’s Brahms Festival in 2003. Future solo performances include recitals in Edinburgh Fringe Festival and London during 2002, and Prokofiev Concerto No.2 with Ealing Symphony Orchestra in February 2003.

Music Style Classical Solo Violin music

Group Members Simon Hewitt Jones

Instruments Violin

Press Reviews “Bruch’s concerto [No.1] is so well-known surely Simon Hewitt Jones was taking a risk in presenting it to us, but this was fresh and exciting and with such a maturity of sound one couldn’t fail to be drawn into it… …variety of colour and dynamic was present in this performance to a remarkable degree, orchestra and soloist playing with real sympathy for each other.” Sevenoaks Chronicle, January 2002 “ “Congratulations Sevenoaks! You have created an outstanding and most prestigious competition which has attracted some of the most talented young musicians we have heard”. So said the judges at the end of this year’s Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year competition when they described the winner, 18-year old Simon Hewitt Jones from West Dulwich, as “a serious and natural performer, a fine musician” ” From ‘Simon’s simply the best in competition’, - Sevenoaks Chronicle, April 2001 “Simon is a violinist to watch… …it was evident from the first ten bars that Simon Hewitt Jones had complete control of Wieniawski's Violin concerto No. 2 (second and third movements, to the extent that his playing positively influenced the accompanying orchestra, as well as commanding the audience to listen by sheer weight of personality. This is the sort of Romantic music that is unquestionably his forte and it seems inevitable that we who heard this will one day, when many more people are aware of him, recall his [early] performances” From ‘Simon is a name to watch’ - Croydon Advertiser, Friday December 4 2000 “Simon Hewitt Jones… proved he is a name to watch with his virtuoso performance of the Violin Concerto No. 2 by Wieniawski” Croydon Advertiser, Friday October 13 2000 “Simon Hewitt Jones, a born performer… ...played Ponce's Estrellita with great sensitivity and presence” Croydon Advertiser, Friday October 13 2000

Location London, London - United Kingdom

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