Presented by The Royal Academy of Music
Born into a musical family, Julian Jakob Schad started playing various instruments at the age of 5. He played on stage as a drummer, trumpeter, pianist and violinist but ultimately chose to pursue violin as his main instrument when he was 18.
In 2017, he started his Bachelor of Arts at the Hochschule für Musik Luzern and finished with honours in March 2021 at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg with Prof. Sebastian Hamann. Currently, he is studying his Master of Arts at the Royal Academy of Music in London, joining the class of Prof. Jack Liebeck.
Since studying at The Royal Academy, Julian has played in many leading positions in the Academy’s Symphony and Chamber orchestra. Alongside that, he has played in the 1st violin section for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He was also awarded with the Clarence Myerscough Award 2022 (postgraduate) for his end of year performance at the Royal Academy. In Summer 2022, he was chosen as Concertmaster for “Junge Norddeutsche Philharmonie” , playing Mahler 10th Symphonie under Felix Mildenberger with Concert at the 'Gezeiten-Festival' and 'Festspiele Mecklenburg Vorpommern'.
Since 2009, Julian Jakob has been serving as concertmaster of the Frisch Gestrichen e.V Youth Orchestra . The orchestra’s purpose is to raise money for people and institutions in financial need. He has won prizes and scholarships, such as 3rd prize at the Bundeswettbewerb of 'Jugend Musiziert', the first Endinger Notenlese and was chosen to play the Mozart A major violin Concerto with the Chamber Orchestra of the Musikhochschule of Freiburg.
He received his first violin lesson aged 5 from his mother, Beate Schad and has been influenced by musicians such as: William Hagen, Felix Mildenberger, Yoel Gamzou, Volker Worlitzsch, Jorge Sutil, Katharina Krüger, Iason Keramidis, Hansjacob Staemmler and Lorenz Nasturica. Julian has collaborated with musicians including Josephine Knight , Jack Liebeck and, Philip Klüser.
He is currently playing a violin made in 1835 by E Ceruti , generously loaned by a private sponsor from Hamburg.
Lithuanian born pianist Kasparas Mikužis at the age of 21 has already given solo performances on stages such as Wigmore hall, Concertgebouw hall, as well as, Lithuanian national and Kharkiv Philharmonic halls. He has released his debut CD and his live performances were televised on Mezzo TV. Kasparas is a prize winner of more than 20 international piano competitions including a double 1st prize at the XXVIII Roma International Piano Competition in both categories up to 19 and 25 years. Recent appearances include a public masterclass with Sir Andras Schiff at Riga Jurmala Music Festival and a chamber music concert with Jack Liebeck and Josephine Knight, amongst other concert activity. At the moment Kasparas is completing his studies at the Royal Academy of Music with Diana Ketler and Christopher Elton. For representing Lithuania on an international stage Kasparas was awarded a letter of gratitude by the president of republic of Lithuania.