Jane Atkins

At the age of six Jane was awarded a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School. She completed her studies with David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she won the LPO/ Pioneer Young Soloist of the Year and gained second prize in the Lionel Tertis competition. Since her solo debut performing the Walton concerto with Kurt Sanderling and the London Philharmonic, Jane has appeared as a soloist throughout the UK and Europe performing with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the English and Scottish Chamber Orchestras: the Dutch and Danish Radio Orchestras and both the City of London and Northern Sinfonias. As a recitalist she has performed in most of major British Festivals including Harrogate, Spitalfields, Newbury, Cheltenham, East Neuk and Edinburgh.

After four years as Principal Viola in the Chamber Orchestra of Europe Jane joined the Scottish Chamber Orchestra as Principal Viola in 2008. Her more recent solo collaborations include performances of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with both Alexander Janiczek and Stephanie Gonley, Brahms F minor sonata with Llyr Williams and Auerbach’s Sogno di Stabat Mater with Hugo Ticciati. In the SCO’s 2015/16 season Jane performed Kurtag’s Movement with Robin Ticciati and Britten’s Lachrymae with Oliver Knussen.

Jane has always been committed to expanding the viola repertoire and has commissioned and performed many new works by Diana Burrell, Ib Norholm, John Woolrich and Andrew Toovey. Her contemporary recordings include Woolrich’s Ulyssees Awakes, Burrell’s Concerto and Tavenor’s Out of the Night for Viola and Tenor. Other recordings include the Telemann and the newly reconstructed Bach concertos, both recorded with the Adderbury ensemble and Rothko Chapel by Morton Feldman with James Wood and the New London Chamber Choir. The Scottish composer John McLeod is currently writing a viola concerto for Jane, commissioned by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, to be performed in their 2018/19 season.

Future projects include European, Asian and North American performances of ”˜Goldberg Variations- ternary patterns for insomnia, with the Scottish Ensemble and Andersson Dance as well as innovative concerts with Hugo Ticciati and the O/Modernt Kammarorkester in Sweden. Jane teaches at St Mary’s School of Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.