Stephen Upshaw

He is a member of the award-winning Solem Quartet– praised for their ‘“immaculate precision and spirit” (The Strad) and recognized as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. Much in demand as a chamber musician, he has also shared the stage with artists such as Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Tai Murray, the JACK Quartet, Gary Hoffman, Jess Gillam, Elena Urioste, Jennifer Stumm, and Garth Knox. Recent engagements have taken him to The Paris Philharmonie, London’s Barbican, Wigmore and Royal Festival Halls, Tokyo Opera City, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw and Concertgebouw.

A noted interpreter of contemporary music, Stephen is also a member of London’s Riot Ensemble  – winners of the inaugural Ernst von Siemens Foundation Ensemble Prize and cited as “the supergroup of top soloists playing new music” (Guardian) “volcanically creative” (The New Yorker), and “Always impeccable; entrancing and highly seductive” (The Times).

He has worked closely with many of today’s leading composers, including Chaya Czernowin, John Adams, Thomas Adès, George Benjamin and Helmut Lachenmann. Expanding the repertoire of the viola through the commissioning of new music has always been a feature of Stephen’s work. He has taken part in over 300 world premieres including chamber music of Georg Haas, Sally Beamish (alongside the composer), Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Edmund Finnis and solo works of Mark Simpson, Simon Holt, Oliver Leith, Michael Finnissy and Errollyn Wallen.

Stephen has recently appeared as soloist with the Vaasa City Orchestra (Finland) and in recital at the Time of Music, Brighton and Little Missenden Festivals, Kettle’s Yard, and the National Gallery.

He has also toured regularly to the USA, Europe and Asia with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and its music director, Joshua Bell and has been invited to play guest principal viola with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Klangforum Wien (Austria), Ensemble Modern (Germany), Britten Sinfonia, Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra (Sweden), Aurora Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, The Ulster Orchestra and Manchester Camerata, among others.

A highly sought-after teacher, he has given masterclasses at institutions including Cambridge University, Trinity Laban, the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music (Poland), Royal College of Music Stockholm, Cardiff University, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Vanderbilt University, Liverpool University, University of Georgia and University of Michigan.

Stephen also serves on the faculty of Switzerland’s Lucerne Festival Academy where he co-curates the annual ‘Festival Forward’. In recent years, he has been invited to adjudicate the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards and the Royal Overseas League Competition.

He has also published technique articles in Strad Magazine and was a featured guest on BBC Radio 3’s “This Classical Life”.