Encore Performing Arts, Dubai Opera and the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai present the incredible Coco Tomita from Japan making her debut at Dubai Opera with pianist, Simon Callaghan from the United Kingdom

Hailed by critics and audiences alike, Japanese violinist Coco Tomita first gained recognition after winning the BBC Young Musician 2020 Strings Category. Her success led to an invitation to record a debut album with Orchid Classics, numerous approaches by music festivals across the UK, and an extensive concert tour of Japan. She was named as ‘One to watch’ by Gramophone Magazine and ‘Young Classical Star’ by Classic FM. Her debut album ‘Origins’ received a succession of rave reviews from The Strad, Gramophone Magazine, BBC Music Magazine and The Guardian, among others, and was selected as ‘Disc of the month’ by Apple in April 2022. 

Born into a musical family, Coco began to play the violin when she was four years old. At age ten she made her debut at Cadogan Hall, London, with Southbank Sinfonia and has performed in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Based in London and Berlin, Coco recently completed her triumphant debut tour of Japan, highlights of which were her concerto debut with Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Masahiko Enkoji, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Axelrod at the Suntory Hall, Tokyo. She has also appeared as a soloist with London Mozart Players, Philharmonie Baden-Baden and Bath Philharmonia.  

In recital Coco performs regularly with Simon Callaghan who performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, in parallel with a highly successful career as a recording artist. A favourite performer at the internationally renowned Husum Festival of Piano Rarities in Germany, Callaghan’s recent sell-out concert was praised by VAN Magazine as a “cleverly curated recital full of discoveries” and by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as “technically brilliant”. Tomita and Callaghan have a successful duo partnership which saw their first record released in 2022 on Orchid Classics.  

The programme will feature sonatas by Debussy and Prokofiev, as well as beautiful pieces from Hartmann and Enescu.

Mark your calendars for what promises to be an incredible evening of music!