Leader - Preston Yeo​

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British violinist Preston Yeo began playing the violin aged just four, and three years later became one of the youngest-ever pupils to be accepted into the Purcell School (Britain’s oldest specialist music school), fully supported by the Music and Dance Scheme. Known for his versatile and sensitive musicianship, Preston has won prizes and audience acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral leader.

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His most recent solo performance was on the 4th of March 2022, of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64, with the Academy Chamber Orchestra conducted by Dinis Sousa. This was attended by a sold-out live audience and simultaneously livestreamed with over 2000 views to date. Previously, he played back- to-back concerts of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Southampton University Symphony Orchestra and Penzance Orchestral Society. Other recital performances include sold-out lunchtime concerts at St James’s Piccadilly, and a live broadcast at Peleș Castle for Romanian national media.

 

Preston has performed chamber works such as Debussy’s String Quartet and Schubert’s ‘Trout’ Quintet in London — Wigmore Hall, LSO St Luke’s, St Martin-in-the-Fields — and in Florence, Italy, undergoing a year of intense coaching via the Frost Trust’s Advanced Specialist Strings Ensemble Training Scheme.

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Orchestral highlights include being recently appointed as Concertmaster of the Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra; winning a place on the 2019/20 LSO String Experience Scheme; leading the Academy Symphony Orchestra side-by-side with the Czech Philharmonic, directed by Semyon Bychkov and broadcast live on BBC Radio 3; and performing for HRH The Princess Royal and The Duchess of Gloucester at the

opening of the Susie Sainsbury Theatre.

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Preston first began his studies at the Royal Academy of Music six years ago; since then he has enjoyed performing in numerous concerts, playing an extensive array of works ranging from the Baroque era to world premieres of contemporary music, as well as diverse ensemble combinations (collaborating with singers and accordion, guitar, French horn, and harp players). Having studied with Remus Azoitei, Preston attained First-Class Honours as well as multiple awards for outstanding studentship during his undergraduate degree. Currently a Master’s student mentored by Joshua Fisher, Preston is grateful for the support of the Helen Worswick Scholarship, Tillett and Colin Keer Trusts, Help Musicians, and The Stephen Bell Charitable Trust.

 

Preston plays the Nicolò Gagliano c.1746 violin, kindly on loan from the Academy.

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