Representing Making Music
Programme
Brahms – Rhapsody No 2 in G minor
Bottesini – Elegy
Brahms – Sonata for Cello No 1 in E minor
Toby Hughes Double Bass
Daniel King Smith Piano
Performers
In 2009, at the age of sixteen, Toby Hughes was invited to study at the combined universities of Lausanne, Fribourg and Sion with Professor Božo Paradžik. In his second year at university, he was awarded the ‘Future Talent’ Coombs Scholarship by the Duchess of Kent and in May 2011 was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s ‘Julius Isserlis Scholarship’ which enabled him to continue with his studies. In the autumn of 2011 he moved to Berlin, where he studied with Matthew McDonald, principal bass of the Berlin philharmonic Orchestra. In 2012 Toby returned to the U.K. to continue his studies with Juří Hudec at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, graduating in 2015 from the International Artists Diploma course.
After his return to the U.K. Toby won numerous competitions and awards, in 2013 he won Chandos Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Young Musician of the Year’, the string section of the 2014 Royal Over-Seas League Competition (the first double bassist ever to do so), in 2016 the Bromsgrove International Competition and in 2018 won the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition.
Toby has performed with major international orchestras both in Europe and the U.K. and his recital engagements have included appearances at Wigmore Hall, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, The Edinburgh Festival and at the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the Royal Over- Seas League final. Having been awarded support from The Tillett Trust, The Musicians’ Company and The Phillip and Dorothy Green Artist Award, Toby will be performing at many venues across the U.K.
Daniel King Smith has given concerts all over the world as both soloist and accompanist. He has been broadcast on both BBC TV/Radio in the UK (In Tune, Proms, Young Musician of the Year) and NHK TV/Radio in Japan, most recently in recital with Yuki Ito as part of NHK’s “Best of Classic” and “Classic Club” series. Daniel has recorded a number of CDs, including releases with Yuki Ito for Sony and with Anna Hashimoto on the Meridian label.
As a soloist Daniel’s extensive concerto repertoire has led to many concerts in the UK and around Europe and he has frequently been a featured Solo Classical Artist on many Cruise lines around the world. Accompaniment and chamber music are a major part of Daniel’s life, having held staff accompanist posts at both Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music Junior Departments and at the Purcell School. He regularly accompanies auditions, lessons, masterclasses and end of year recitals at the London conservatoires as well as being official accompanist for the Countess of Munster Trust. Daniel gives recitals every year with a number of people who have been accepted onto the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme as well as both the Tillett Trust and Making Music Recital Schemes. He is also official accompanist for the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists competition. Daniel is often resident pianist on summer music courses including the British Isles Music Festival and Musicale. He has given recitals with Michael Collins, Carmel Kaine, Susan Milan, Robert Max, Yuki Ito and Anna Hashimoto, amongst many others and is a member of the Ridgeway Ensemble.