Leeds Lunchtime Chamber Music 23/24:

Purcell School for Young Musicians

Rebecca Nicolas – violin
Tori Li – violin
Danya Rushton – viola
Ella Harrison – cello
Ivanna Oliinyk – cello 

Franz Schubert String Quintet

Approximately 50 minutes without interval

Rebecca Nicolas is a sixteen year old violinist and began lessons at the age of seven with Mike Chiddell at a local music and dance centre. From the age of ten, she has continued her studies at the Purcell School with Nathaniel Vallois and with him, has participated in the ‘La Mariette’ string course in France, performing a final recital in Église Saint-Pierre de Parçay-sur-Vienne. She has worked externally with the Maggini String Quartet and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She is also the principal of Hertfordshire’s County Youth Orchestra.  Rebecca’s place at the Purcell is assisted by the Government’s Music and Dance Scholarship Scheme.

Tori Li moved to the UK for her secondary education. She was a member of Birmingham Junior Conservatoire, a student of Shamil Rashidov and Cathy Scott-Burt. Over the years, she has taken courses in various music festivals including Leamington Spa and Milton Keynes – in which she was thrilled to be a finalist. Tori is currently a member of the National Youth String Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra Inspire. She enjoys how music enables her to collaborate with others. Last September, Tori was thrilled to join The Purcell School for Young Musicians. She is a violin student of Nathaniel Vallois. Tori began learning the piano at the age of five, and violin at six. She is grateful to have attended a music focused primary school from a young age in Hong Kong, and the subject has become an important part of her life ever since.

Danya Jayasinghe Rushton currently studies viola with Yuko Inoue at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. Danya has led the viola section in numerous Chineke! Junior Orchestra concerts, including concerts at the Southbank Centre, performing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2020, and Soccer Aid 2022 alongside Robbie Williams. She has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra since 2021 and was a London Philharmonic Orchestra Junior Artist 2020/2021. She is Principal viola of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and has been Principal of the Junior Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Senior String Chamber Orchestra, directed by Susan Collier. She also plays violin under the guidance of Yumi Sasaki as a second study student at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. Danya is also a singer (classical and pop).

Ella Harrison began learning the cello at the age of seven. She studied with Judith Brearley for five years, and now continues with Ben Davies at The Purcell School. Ella’s place at Purcell is assisted by the government’s Music and Dance Scholarship scheme. She is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and has acted as co-principal cellist for their winter residency and concert. After winning the Hertfordshire County Youth Orchestra String Competition, Ella plays an 1800’s English cello from Benslow Music on full scholarship.

Ivanna Oliinyk was born in Ukraine in 2006. Her musical journey began In 2012 after being accepted by a specialist school. During her studies she has performed in Ukraine and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician and an orchestra player. Due to the war, Ivanna and her mother moved to Poland, but they found a way for Ivanna to pursue her cello studies in Łódź. Ivanna joined the Purcell School of Music in 2022 under the guidance of Pal Banda. During the same year, Ivanna also enrolled at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department and the National Youth Orchestra. In August 2023 Ivanna became an ambassador of Concertgebouw Young (The Netherlands). Studying at The Purcell brings her so much joy and inspiration and she is very grateful for the support she has been given.