Margarita Balanas

Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas began her musical studies at age six with Arvids Tareila and Maris Villeruss, before studying at the Purcell School of Music with Alexander Boyarsky. She made her debut at Wigmore Hall at the age of 17 and has since appeared in most of the major concert halls across the UK and Europe as the Royal Festival Hall, Casa da Música and in the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival 2016, Los Angeles. She has performed in masterclasses with Lynn Harrell, Ralph Kirshbaum, Steven Isserlis, Natalia Gutman, Frans Helmerson and Mischa Maisky.

She is a recording artist for ABRSM as well as being an active chamber musician. She has been awarded the ABRSM Scholarship, Zara Nelsova Award and Martin Music Scholarship Fund Award to undertake her undergraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where since 2013 she studies under Mats Lidström.