Will Duerden

Biography

Born in Horsham, UK in 2000, British bassist Will Duerden is the first prize Winner of the Peter Morrison Concerto Competition in 2018. He has won a number of national competitions, including the 1st and 2nd prize at the Haslemere String Competition, 1st Prize at the Birmingham Bass day Competition, the String Prize at the Gregynog Young Musician Competition and the Walter Todds Award at the 2018 BBC Young Musician of the year as well as being the second bassist to become a string finalist in 30 years. After finishing his studies at Horsham Greenway Academy, he went on to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School with Professor Caroline Emery, with whom he is now continuing his studies with at the Royal College of Music. He has been admitted to the Royal College of Music with the ABRSM scholarship, he has also just won an audition to join the LGT Young Soloists. Will has the honour of playing on one of the finest double basses in the world, made by Carlo Loveri from Naples 1873.

He has many solo performances to his credit as well as an impressive orchestral repertoire. He was the Principle bassist at RCMJD symphony Orchestra, YMS Orchestra and Vägus Orchestra, as well as playing tutti and leading the RCM philharmonic, symphony, string and wind orchestras under conductors such as Antonio Pappano, Vasily Petrenko, Martin Brabbins and Micheal Rosewell. He has also performed at Cadogan Hall under Peter Stark, St. John's Smith Square under Richard Dickens, he has toured Switzerland and Spain (Auditoria de Zaragoza, Juan March Foundation, Pablo Casals Auditorium and Conservatorio Superior de Valencia) under Oscar Colomina i Bosch with the YMS orchestra. Will has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including RCMJD Symphony Orchestra, the Menuhin School Orchestra (in collaboration with SongHa Choi, senior 2nd prize and the audience award winner of the 2016 Menuhin Competition), the Horsham Symphony Orchestra, the EYSM Orchestra and the Waverley Ensemble. These performances included playing the Tubin Concerto with Horsham Symphony Orchestra and the RCMJD Symphony Orchestra as well as performing solo multiple times at the Wigmore Hall. He has also given solo and chamber recitals in England, Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Wales. Will performs regularly as a soloist and a chamber musician at prestigious concert venues such as the Wigmore hall in London, the Bradshaw Hall in Birmingham, the Menuhin Hall, Amyrlis Fleming Concert Hall in London, and he has made appearances on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune and BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.

Highlights of this season include playing a full recital in the Menuhin Hall for the Brunel University online concert series, performing in Abbey Roads with the LGT Young Soloists, and hopefully going on tour with the LGT Young Soloists.