BBC Radio 3 new generation artists

BBC Radio 3 has announced the new batch of New Generation Artists, six young musicians selected as being promising. This year's selection includes a quartet from Denmark, British and Ukrainian mezzo-sopranos, a French violist and Swiss and Chinese pianists: the Danish String Quartet (winners of the 11th London International String Quartet Competition),  Kitty Whately (mezzo-soprano, winner of the 2011 Kathleen Ferrier Award Competition),  Olena Tokar (Ukranian mezzo-soprano who was a finalist in the 2013 Cardiff Singer of the World), Lise Berthaud (French viola player who won the Hindemith Prize at the Geneva International Competition in 2005), Louis Schwitzgebel (Swiss pianist, second prize winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition) and Zhang Zuo, the Chinese pianist who won first prize in the third Shanghai International Piano Competition and the 7th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition.

The six will receive support via broadcasts on Radio 3 (over a two year period), including lunchtime recitals, live broadcasts with BBC orchestras and regular studio recordings. The scheme has been running for 15 years and previous artists have included Benjamin Grosvenor, Alison Balsom, the Belcea Quartet, Christine Rice and Gwilym Simcock. Last year’s selection of New Generation Artists, who remain on the scheme for another year are:  Robin Tritschler (tenor, Ireland), Sean Shibe (classical guitarist, UK),  Trish Clowes (jazz saxophonist, UK),  Leonard Elschenbroich (cellist, Germany), Mark Simpson (clarinettist, UK), Apollon Musagate Quartet (Poland) and Elena Urioste (violinist, USA).