Venetia Jollands – violinist

Award-winning violinist Venetia enjoys a career spanning many genres, from baroque to pop. Her versatility as a musician means she appears as a soloist, chamber musician, leader, session player and band member in a variety of settings. She has performed across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas with renowned ensembles and artists and is a member of the 12 Ensemble, Eusebius Quartet and London Contemporary Orchestra among others. As a session musician, Venetia has recently recorded for artists such as Sampha, Bryce Dessner, Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Hans Zimmer, Jed Kurzel, Carly Paradis, Clean Bandit, Ellie Goulding and Boy George and has performed live with Nico Muhly, US rock band The National, Laura Marling, Kate Tempest, Elena Tonra, Jonsi and Alex Somers and The Breeders. Upcoming performance venues include the Wigmore Hall, the Barbican Centre, Cheltenham Festival and Kings Place.

What has creating art meant to you over the last year?

Creating art over the past year has provided me with something to look forward to each day, a craft I can work on beyond my musical career. I find painting to be the best escapism from everything happening in the world, and my studio has remained my happy place throughout the Covid-19 crisis. I believe that the creativity I continue to find within myself only makes my musicianship stronger, and now enjoy pursuing a career across both disciplines.