British Violinist Laura Samuel has Died, Aged 48

Samuel was leader of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and co-founded the Belcea Quartet

Born in London in 1976, Laura Samuel studied at the Royal College of Music with Itzhak Rashkovsky. In the early stages of her career, she received a number of prizes, including those of the Royal Over-Seas League, Musicians Benevolent Fund, Manoug Parikian Award, and the TWIYCA Competition.

Alongside Corina Belcea, she co-founded the Belcea Quartet in 1994 and continued to appear with the group until 2010. The ensemble was the winner of the Osaka and Bordeaux International competitions and undertook worldwide tours — including regular visits to the USA, Asia, and throughout Europe as well as a five-year residency at the Wigmore Hall, London.

In 2012, Samuel was appointed Leader of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Alongside this role, she took on solo work, and recent appearances include performances of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh (with Sir Donald Runnicles) and James MacMillan’s A Deep but Dazzling Darkness (with the composer conducting).

She was also a lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Royal Northern College of Music.