Fernando Santiago

Fernando studied at both the São Paulo State School of Music and São Paulo State University Institute of Arts. He completed a Masters at the Royal Academy of Music, studying with Pavlo Beznosuik, Nicolette Moonen and Rachel Podger, before becoming a Scholar at the Royal College of Music, where he completed his Artist Diploma in Performance under Bojan Čičić and Lucy Russell.

Fernando is a Spanish Brazilian violinist with a special interest in historical dance and drama. At the Royal Academy of Music he explored the various connections between music and gesture through the lens of the old dancing masters, winning the 2025 Nancy Nuttall Early Music Prize and also receiving the Citi Award — Young Talents in Music from his home town in Brazil. As an Enlightenment Award holder, Doggett Family Foundation awardee and Hogwood Scholar, he worked with dance specialist Mary Collins, regularly joining the Académie Pécour for early dance in Paris too. Fernando’s current engagements include projects alongside the Jeune Orchestre Baroque Européen, for the ongoing production of Antonio de Literes’ harmonic opera “Los Elementos”, leading the group directed by Margaux Blanchard, and the European Union Baroque Orchestra, throughout their 2026 season of artistic residencies. Fernando has been selected to participate in a project with the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées under Philippe Herreweghe in April 2027, having already collaborated with Les Arts Florissants, directed by Paul Agnew, as a Junior Fellow. A dedicated teacher, he is part of Camden Music Service and the DaCapo Music Foundation, and also assists Mary Collins within the baroque dance course at the Academy.

Fernando writes:

I feel extremely honoured to have been selected for the Belsize Baroque Leader Scholarship and very much look forward to joining such a vibrant and welcoming ensemble throughout the coming year, in what I am sure will be a truly enriching chapter of my artistic life!

We at Belsize Baroque feel that having a scholar who is both an exceptional musician and a highly skilled dancer will bring an exciting new perspective in the coming year.

Sophia Mücke — 2024/25 Leader Scholarship

Sophia Mücke is a Swiss baroque violinist and graduate from the renowned Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland. Her love for adventure and her wanderlust eventually led her to London, where she recently completed a Master of Music at the Royal Academy. It was her curiosity to discover unknown repertoire, coupled with her fascination for music history and theory that made Sophia feel at home in Early music. She is particularly passionate about early-17^th-century German and Italian music. Studying historical primary sources on topics such as solmisation, rhetoric, and violin pedagogy lead her to question the current state of performance practice and its conventions, encouraging her to organise her own projects with various groups. Whether it’s 18th-century Italian music composed in China, 19th-century South American folk music, or 16th-century repertoire for a ‘broken consort’ — Sophia is always up for experimental projects. Her activity as ensemble and orchestra musician lead her to perform all over Europe with ensembles such as The Duke’s Consort (UK), the Capriccio Barockorchester (CH), the European Hanseatic Ensemble (D) and the Gabrieli Consort and Players (UK).

Sara Matović — 2024/25 Leader Bursary

Sara writes:

I am honoured to be a part of the Belsize Baroque Orchestra and thrilled to receive this bursary. Being involved with this esteemed ensemble allows me to deepen my passion for baroque music and connect with fellow musicians. I look forward to contributing to and learning from this vibrant musical community.

Andrew Taheny — 2022/23 Leader Scholarship

My scholarship year with Belsize Baroque has provided me with invaluable opportunities to build leadership experience with a period instrument ensemble. I have performed in principal positions in four concerts, leading the orchestra at Southwark Cathedral for Bach’s B Minor Mass, and at the London Handel Festival under Laurence Cummings. In January I programmed a concert of 18th-century Scottish music, and this summer I will perform a Telemann Double Violin Concerto with the ensemble’s Director, Catherine Martin. Having lessons with Catherine over the year has also been a wonderful way to help me develop many aspects of my playing. I have found her to be a very supportive and inspiring person to work with, assisting and challenging me in equal measure. From my first rehearsal, the whole orchestra made me feel very welcome, and I have loved working with a group who are so passionate about baroque music! I cannot recommend the scholarship programme highly enough to young baroque violinists like myself who are getting started in the profession.

Andrew’s news from 2026:

My first project with the English Concert Fellowship is coming up, which will include taking part in rehearsals for their July production of Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula, as well as some one-to-one mentoring with their leader, Nadja Zwiener. In other news, my chamber ensemble, Les Acolytes, has been selected to take part in the Brighton Early Music Festival Emerging Artists Scheme.

Marguerite Wassermann — 2019/20 Leader Scholarship

Marguerite’s latest news from 2026:

Marguerite studied baroque violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Margaret Faultless and Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Amandine Beyer. She won 2nd prize at the Premio Bonporti (2023), 3rd prize at the Marco Uccellini Competition (2022), and the Bärenreiter Urtext Prize at the Telemann Wettbewerb (2025). Marguerite performs and records with Jordi Savall and Les Musiciennes du Concert des Nations; she is featured as a soloist and section leader in their CD of Vivaldi concertos. She has also performed with ensembles such as the OAE, Monteverdi String Band, Profeti della Quinta, Los Elementos, and La Cetra. Marguerite was chosen as a 2025–2026 Intrada artist by the Dunedin Consort, Orchestra of the 18th Century, and B’Rock. Marguerite and her ensemble The Levée released a CD of newly-discovered violin sonatas by Denis Delair in April 2025. The Levée won the 1st prize at the Jeunes Talents competition organised by Cadets en Scène.

Alice Poppleton — 2018/19 Leader Scholarship

Belsize Baroque was a fantastic bridge between my time as a student and entering the early music scene, helping me feel connected and on track with my goal of becoming a professional musician. During my time with this welcoming and supportive ensemble, I enjoyed exploring unfamiliar and challenging repertoire, further developing my leadership skills, and receiving guidance and coaching from the hugely inspiring guest leaders.

Alice’s news from 2026:

Alice enjoys a busy freelance life as a violinist, viola player and workshop leader. After three wonderful years at Bristol University, Alice completed post-graduate studies with distinction as Scholar at both The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and The Royal Academy of Music (under the tutelage of Rachel Podger). Alice loves the rich tapestry of creative projects in her life: performing and touring with The Gabrieli’s, The English Concert, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; designing and presenting children’s videos and concerts for The OAE, Handel Hendrix House and Brighton Early Music Festival; and collaborative composition projects for the Royal Academy of Music and English National Opera (performed at The Royal Albert Hall). Alice is the co-founder and Director of Thinking Music, a charity which connects rural primary schools and universities delivering a year-long programme to make music together. Alice enjoys folk fiddling and taking to the great outdoors (keeping the sheep out of the loop about her ever-growing gut string collection). Alice has recently returned from a tour to America with The English Concert which culminated in a performance at the Carnegie Hall — a career highlight!

Ada Witczyk — 2016–18 Leader Scholarship

Previous recipient of Belsize Leadership Bursary, violinist Ada Maria Witczyk was born in Poland and was awarded Belsize Baroque Scholarship to lead the orchestra during 2017/2018 season.

Ada made her solo orchestral debut at the age of eleven with the Odeon Orchestra.  Since then she has performed in such venues as Buckingham Palace, the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Cadogan Hall and Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi, amongst others. She has taken part in concerts with Gabrieli Consort & Players, WOB, The English Concert and Florilegium.

She has won several prizes in international violin competitions, including first prize at the Baroque Competition in Gorzów Wielkopolski Honourable Mention at the Polish Forum of Young Instrumentalists, 3rd prize during The Rising Stars Grand Prix — International Music Competition in Berlin.

Ada completed her Bachelor’s degree at the Royal College of Music, studying violin with Itzhak Rashkovsky and Michal Cwizewicz and Baroque violin with Catherine Martin.  Thanks to an Anthony Edward Brookes Award Ada completed her Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music studying with Levon Chilingirian and Simon Standage.

Ada writes:

I was awarded the Belsize Leader Scholarship and performed with the orchestra during the 2016–2018 seasons for which I’m very grateful.

Since then I have had the great pleasure of recording Rodelinda with the English Concert (2021 Linn Records) and Mozart Concertos with Robert Levin and Academy of Ancient Music (2022 Decca).

Recent highlights include solo performances of J.C. Bach’s Sinfonia Concertante with Simon Standage at the English Haydn Festival (2022), leader of Ensemble OrQuesta during the 2019 Grimeborn Opera Festival, London Handel Festival with AAM and BBC Proms with the English Concert amongst others.

Trying to find new ways to engage younger audiences, I began recording filmed productions showcasing the expressive power of the baroque violin, starting with Biber’s Rosary Sonata No.1 ‘Annunciation’ in 2019. That recording also appeared on Argentina Classic National Radio and Radio Soest in the Netherlands.

To inspire composers during the 2020 pandemic I launched the first instalment of the Ruzickova Composition Competition receiving entries from countries around the globe. In 2021 alone, we have inspired over 90 new pieces of music for period instruments turning 5 of them into short films: Yellow, Ostinato in 7, The Spectre, Come bianca luce and Song and Dance. I’m proud to share that our competition is now officially a registered charity.

Ada’s news from 2026:

I started a new job with the English Chamber Orchestra helping raise some funds supporting music lessons for kids from unprivileged backgrounds. Here’s to new adventures!

For this and more, please visit: www.adawitczyk.com