Lucy Nolan

Professor of Viola

Dublin-born, violist Lucy Nolan divides her time between her work as a chamber musician, and a teacher. In 2006, she, with violinist Jonathan Martindale and cellist Peggy Nolan formed the Eblana String Trio, which enjoys a busy concert schedule performing in venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room, St John Smith Square and the Bridgewater Hall. The trio is often broadcast on RTE Lyric FM and BBC Radio 3 and their recent recording, The King’s Alchemist was selected as Chamber Album of the month in BBC Music Magazine upon its release. The members of the trio were inaugural Junior Fellows of Chamber Music at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, are former Park Lane Young Artists and CMF Artists.

Alongside her performing career, Lucy is passionately committed to her work as a viola and chamber music tutor. At the RNCM, in addition to her viola class, she holds positions at Junior RNCM and RNCM Young Violas. Lucy has worked as a consultant for the ABRSM, researching and updating repertoire lists to include composers from wider and more diverse backgrounds and traditional music from parts of the world less typically featured in the ABRSM syllabi. Lucy is also a founding faculty member of ARCO, a distance learning project between the U.K. and schools in Soweto, South Africa and Chennai, India.

Aside from her main work as a teacher and with the Eblanas, Lucy participates in a wide variety of musical projects. She has been a guest with many orchestras over the years, working with eminent conductors and performing extensively, from BBC Proms appearances to tours all over the world. She also works alongside her former teacher and mentor Louise Lansdown in curating the British Viola Society’s contributions to International Viola Congresses.

Lucy is a member of Amika, a string quartet specialising in crossover and contemporary approaches. Amika has collaborated with artists including Alfa Mist, Jordan Rakei, Alice Zawadzki, Rob Luft and Tom Walker and performs at venues such as London’s O2 Arena, the Southbank Centre and Ronnie Scott’s.