NEWS
CATCH A RISING STAR DUNJA
LAVROVA, the blonde, beautiful and multi-talented 20 year old who's unique
style & flawless musical technique is winning her acclaim and attention from
all who have recently been privileged to hear her, will give a recital in
London at the Mall Galleries, Whitehall on February 21st at 7pm.Award-winning Dunja is on a full scholarship in her third year at the Royal College of Music. We all know when we hear something that touches our hearts" Having Dunja turn up at the College on a rainy afternoon to be auditioned was a moment worth living for" (Mark Messenger - Head of Strings RCM) The young Russian from St Petersburg graduated in 2003 from the highly exclusive Yehudi Menuhin School, founded for gifted children, and famous for being the hardest music school in the world to get into, where she studied for four years also on full scholarship. It was there that her exceptional talent was first spotted by then Arts Club chairman, Mary Medawar, who, with botanist and author Sir David Attenborough, hosted a recital at The Arts Club presided by Professor Sir Peter Blake in which she was awarded the Arts Club Charitable Trust Young Artist of the Year Award 2004'. She so impressed a private benefactor that, on hearing that she did not yet own her own violin, insisted on purchasing for her the valuable and sonorous 1914 Pedrazzini instrument on which she now performs. Dunja, who was described by Gordan Nikolitch, Leader, LSO as having an absolutely extraordinary emotional involvement with music " and technical perfection", says that, after studying in England for 7 years, she now feels completely at home here though she misses her close and artistic family in Russia - her father is a well known Music Producer and Performer. Dunja can also turn her hand to many other talents which include mainstream singer, songwriter, actress and clothes designer. She has an orange belt in Karate. The presentation of the rare violin at the Arts Club was filmed and widely broadcast on Russian National TV. The Chief Correspondent of RTR, Alexey Mikhalev subsequently brought Dunja to the attention of British based, well known BBC Russia radio presenter, Seva Novgorodcev and she will be performing for him on 20th February. Photograph © Sylvan Mason 2005 www.sylvanmason.com
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Young
Russian violinist, Dunja Lavrova had her wildest dream  come true when,
thanks to an anonymous benefactor, she was presented with a rare 1914 Pedrazzini violin at
a reception at The Arts Club, Dover Street on 29th September 2005. The Violin Presentation
was also filmed by the BBC Russian correspondent team in London and that it will soon be
featured on the internet site.Past chairman of The Arts Club, Mary Medawar discovered Dunja when she was brought to her attention whilst studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music under a scholarship which enabled her to travel from her native St Petersburg to study. As a result of this meeting The Arts Club Charitable Trust presented her with the ‘Young Artist of the Year Award 2004’ The blonde & beautiful, 20 year old's family has been involved  with the well known Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, and they are a very
musical family. All were overjoyed when Dunja's was granted a further full scholarship to
the Royal College of Music where she is now in her third year. Dunja has recentely become the winner of the RCM String Faculty
Competition and was invited to perform at the Wigmore Hall, along with the other winners. |
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Her brother
Stepan has just heard that he will also  study under
Dunja’s teacher Miciej Rakowski at the RCM where he has been awarded a full
scholarship also. When asked by a close friend what she needed most, she replied "My
own violin". So Ann de La Grange Sury, past Secretary of the Authors Club (a part of
The Arts Club) set to to find a Patron of the Arts who could fulfill this dream, and,
having done so, has organized the presentation to be made followed by a half hour recital
with the prestigious violin. "It's especially exciting", says Ann, "as I
believe Dunja's enormous strength of character, determination and extraordinary talent
will take her to the very top".
Photographs by Sylvan Mason 2005 © Contact : Ann de
la Grange Sury Tel: 01362 684103
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