We are delighted to announce that Clarissa Bevilacqua (violin) and Elise Bertrand (composer) as the two young artists joining us this season for the Ambassador Programme 2023-2024, via our open application.

These two wonderful artists stood out in a highly competitive application process, and we are very happy to support them in their development over the coming year.

We would like to thank everyone who applied, for their effort and time that went into applying, and encourage anyone who did not receive a place this year to apply next year. Applications for next season will be open in early 2024, please check our Ambassador Programme page for more information.

Clarissa and Elise will join the nominated artists on the Ambassador Programme for the season 2023-24. The full selection of artists will be announced later this week.

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Clarissa Bevilacqua (violin)

Violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua is known to enchant audiences with her dazzling technical skills and deeply inspiring musicality. Music director and conductor Terry Lowry says she has that “rare star quality that is difficult to describe, but impossible to miss.”

Clarissa debuted at the Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago in front of ten thousand people when she was nine years old. She has performed solo recitals and concerto engagements at venues throughout North America and Europe. Recent and upcoming soloist performances include the opening concert of the Mozartwoche 2023 with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the premier recording of the Augusta Read Thomas concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cape Symphony, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, El Sistema Orchestra and the Salzburger Orchester Solisten.

Winner of several international competitions, she was awarded First Prize, Audience Award and Special Bärenreiter Award at the International Mozart Competition Salzburg, as well as the Grand Prize at the Cape Symphony International Violin Concerto Competition. She is a Young Artist of the Classically Connected Organization in New York, and an Affiliate Artist of the Guarneri Hall Program in Chicago. An avid and enthusiastic learner, Clarissa received her Bachelor of Music at age sixteen, graduating summa cum laude. In 2021, she completed her Master of Music in Violin Performance at the Mozarteum University Salzburg with Pierre Amoyal and is currently studying with Antje Weithaas at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin.

Elise Bertrand (composer)

Born in 2000, Elise Bertrand began playing the piano at the age of 5, the violin at the age of 8, and began composing just three years later. After studying at the CRR in Toulon, Elise went on to obtain her master's degree at the CNSMDP in the class of Roland Daugareil and extended her career in higher writing classes in the same establishment (harmony, counterpoint, etc.). In 2022 she also became Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in the class of Augustin Dumay.

After studying at the CRR in Toulon, Elise went on to obtain her master's degree at the CNSMDP in the class of Roland Daugareil and extended her career in higher writing classes in the same establishment (harmony, counterpoint, etc.). In 2022 she also became Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in the class of Augustin Dumay.

Elise has also won numerous violin, chamber music and composition competitions, including 2nd Prize at the Ginette Neveu International Competition and the Special Prize for the best interpretation of the contemporary piece, in 2019; 1st Prize and Special Prize at the Léopold Bellan International Competition; and in 2022 she was awarded the 1st Prize of the Rotary Club Paris as well as 1st Prize – Honorary Prize at the International Competition for Young Talents in Normandy. 

Her first album "Lettera Amorosa" (on the Klarthe label) around her works is hailed by critics and the press.