Sophie Cashell came to national attention after winning the BBC Television Classical Star Competition in 2007. For her prize, Sophie recorded her first CD “Debut” on Universal's Classics and Jazz label. Featuring works by Chopin, Liszt, Ravel and Debussy, Jeremy Nicholas of Gramophone Magazine crowned it Editor’s Choice in December 2008 and hailed it as ‘A most enjoyable debut album that bears repeated playing… I’m not sure that Universal hasn’t got a real find on its hands’.

Since her success in the competition, Sophie has concentrated on finishing her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where she graduated in 2010. She subsequently toured France, UK and Ireland in recital, appearing most recently at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival and at the Harrogate International Festival, Chester Festival and the Birmingham International Piano Festival before returning to the Théâtre Saint-Bonnet de Bourges. Orchestral concerts include her debut with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia at the Hampton Court Festival; the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra on tour in Scotland and Chester Festival, and with the orchestra of Saint Cecilia at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. At the invitation of Barry Douglas, Sophie made her debut at Castletown Concert Series in Ireland in September 2009.

This year Sophie will perform Beethoven Concerto no. 2 with the English Chamber Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland on their summer tour and Grieg's Concerto with the Trinity College Orchestra in the National Concert Hall, Dublin.

Reviews

"It was with her final offering though that Sophie Cashell swept everything before her. This was an astonishingly vivid performance of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Hartmann’s pictures which inspired the music are not that great and the music is many times more evocative. Sophie Cashell’s performance certainly confirmed that… When the music stopped, I was actually quite surprised to find myself back in my seat at Kemnay Church Centre."

The Herald (Aberdeen), 2010

Links

http://www.sophiecashell.com/

For further information on availability or artist fees, or to discuss a booking please contact the Performance Programmes Manager by emailing performance@musicnetwork.ie or telephone: 01 6719429.