Lunchtime Concert – Thursday 29th October 2026 at 1 pm
Leora Cohen and Malcolm Allison – Violin Duo
We are delighted to welcome Leora Cohen and Malcolm Allison to St Mary’s, who will be performing a Violin Duo at our October 29th Lunchtime Recital.
Leora and Malcolm are both ex-leaders of the National Youth Orchestra, however at very different times; Malcolm in 1989 and Leora in 2017.
Malcolm Allison studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School, McGill University and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. A finalist in the 1991 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition, he won the Dorothy Adams Prize for String Quartet Playing and the Maurice Warshaw Prize for Sonata Playing.
He has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player across Europe and North America, working with leading ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. A member of the Chasyd Quartet (along with Leora) , his recordings include works by Mozart, Corelli, Britten and Tippett.
British-American violinist Leora Cohen has been praised as “a brilliant player” (Suzi Klein), with “a natural feel for melody” (Nicola Benedetti) and “the sound of heavenly beauty” (Maxim Vengerov). A double-first graduate of the University of Cambridge, she completed postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music before establishing a versatile career as a recitalist, soloist and chamber musician.
Passionate about imaginative programming and collaboration, Leora works with a wide range of artistic partners and recently began curating live shows combining music and narration. In 2025 she founded the Jozef Chasyd Quartet with Malcolm Allison, and started teaching at Trinity College, Cambridge University.
Their Programme will include:
Mozart Duo no.2 for Violin and Viola in B flat major K.424
Prokofiev Sonata for 2 Violins Op.56
A selection from Bartok 44 duos for 2 violins Sz.98
Booking is not required – there will be a retiring collection at the end of the concert.
