Adrian Varela

At the age of 29, Adrian Varela is a freelance violinist with over a decade's professional experience as an orchestral and chamber musician. He has held posts in South American professional orchestras, and now works regularly with major UK orchestras including the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

He obtained a master's degree in music from the University of London in 2000. Prior to this, he graduated with distinction from the RAM's Postgraduate Performance course (1998) and with a first class LRAM (teaching diploma, 1997). During his time at the Academy, he regularly led the senior Symphony and Sinfonia orchestras, including concerts, recording sessions, conducting masterclasses and a major UK tour.

Adrian Varela has received several prizes whilst at the RAM, including the Sir Edward Cooper Prize (playing the viola with his string quartet), and the Sir John Barbirolli Principal's Discretionary Prize. He has received scholarships and/or bursaries from the RAM, British Council, UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture and Education of Uruguay.

He made his professional debut with the Montevideo Philharmonic in 1998. In the UK he has appeared as a soloist with the University of London Symphony Orchestra. Adrian has led both the ULSO and the London Shostakovich Orchestra in years before.

Adrian Varela has studied in the UK with Hattori and Harvey, and abroad with Spiller, Casale and Zerounian. He has taken masterclasses with R Ricci, M Fuks, Z Zeitlin and E Friedman. He plays a 1702 Guilliami violin, kindly loaned by the Royal Academy of Music.