British-American violist Elijah Spies plays in spaces ranging from intimate living rooms and hospital wards to large concert halls. Born and raised in London, he began his formal studies at the junior department of the Royal College of Music.
He has since performed at international concert series including the BBC Proms, the Lucerne Festival, and Euro Young Classic. With a particular passion for collaborating with composers and creating new music, he has premiered more than thirty works as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed chamber music alongside members of the JACK Quartet, ensemble-recherche, and International Contemporary Ensemble, and collaborated with renowned composers including George Lewis and Ted Hearne.
Recent performance highlights have included the premiere and SWR-Radio broadcast of Valerio Sannicandro’s string trio at Festival ECLAT in Stuttgart, Germany, and performing as the featured soloist for the Queens COVID Remembrance Day Ceremony. Since 2018, he has been on the artist roster for Concerts in Motion, an organisation that provides professional concerts for isolated, homebound residents in New York. Elijah currently studies in the class of Geneviève Strosser at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel, Switzerland, and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School. His mentors have also included Molly Gebrian, Karen Ritscher, and Carol Rodland. Having spent childhood summers in Maine with his family, he is thrilled to be returning to perform as part of the Bach Virtuosi Festival this summer.