Unitarian Meeting Hall
Thursday 10th September 2026
IGF Young Artists Platform 2025/6
On Thursday, 10th September 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming Luxembourgish guitarist Eva Victoria Schokmel as part of the IGF Young Artist’s Platform. Currently a Neville Wathen Scholar completing her Master’s at the Royal College of Music with Gary Ryan and Chris Stell, Eva boasts an impressive pedigree. She achieved the highest distinction for her Bachelor’s degree in Amsterdam under Gabriel Bianco, recently debuted at Wigmore Hall, and has claimed numerous international accolades—including 1st Prize at the 2025 RCM Guitar Competition.
Performing on a Daniel Chiesa guitar with remarkably warm tones, Eva showcased her immense talent through a brilliantly varied programme:
- Napoleon Coste’s Introduction and Polonaise op.14: A dramatic opening filled with rich rubato and sudden shifts between powerful forte and delicate, introspective piano sections.
- David Russell’s arrangement of Loch Lomond: A tranquil, mournful contrast, defined by controlled warmth and clear voice separation.
- Buxtehude’s Suite in E minor (arr. Julian Bream): Delivered with stylistic mastery, featuring a stately Allemande, a lighter, playful Courante, a deeply emotional and solemn Sarabande, and a crisp, fugal Gigue.
- Eva’s original composition, Château de ma Grand-mère: A touching, reflective piece capturing the security of her grandmother’s house.
- Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s The Millipede is Walking: Commissioned by the IGF for Eva, this standout contemporary work used scurrying mechanical passages, creeping rhythms, and rapid right-hand textures to vividly depict the defensive mechanisms of a millipede, a courting fruit fly, and an industrious solitary bee.
- J.K. Mertz’s Hungarian Fantasy op.65, no.1: A thrilling mood swing into fiery virtuosity, complete with rapid tremolo sequences and haunting melodies.
- Erik Satie’s Gnossienne no.1 (arr. Roland Dyens): The perfect encore, hypnotic and delicate, gently fading to a quiet conclusion.
Eva Victoria Schokmel is both technically and musically gifted. We eagerly look forward to following her soaring musical journey.