July 12 – Chamber Music of Farrenc & Schubert
American violinist Cecily Ward was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and began studying the violin and piano at the age of four. She was the founding first violinist of the San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet, a position she held for twenty years until the quartet disbanded in 2016. During her time with the ensemble, she performed extensively across the United States and Europe, and recorded sixteen critically acclaimed albums, including the complete Beethoven String Quartets. Praised for her “lithe finesse”, “charm”, and “rhapsodic violin”, she has collaborated with esteemed musicians including cellist Gary Hoffman, pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher, pianist Walter Ponce, and cellist Zuill Bailey.
A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Cecily studied with eminent mentors including Donald Weilerstein, Norbert Brainin, Zoltán Székely, Bonnie Hampton, Sylvia Rosenberg, Robert McDonald, and Isaac Stern. Now based in London, she is a member of the violin faculty at the Royal Northern College of Music. She also performs regularly with leading chamber orchestras including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Britten Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, and the Aurora Orchestra.
To stay inspired and connected during the Covid-19 lockdown, she created a virtual masterclass series – The REALLY Big Class! (for Violinists). The weekly sessions featured over 100 performers from around the world, with guest teachers from leading conservatoires in the US, UK, and Germany, as well as renowned soloists and chamber musicians.
Cecily performs on two violins: the 1683 “Fleming” Stradivarius and a modern instrument crafted for her in 2015 by American luthier Anthony Lane. She lives in North London with her husband, Mark Willsher, and their exuberant Portuguese Water Dogs, Francie and Lando.