R2ViolinCello

R2ViolinCello are Rhys Watkins (violin) and Rowena (Rowie) Calvert (cello)

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music?

Rowie: My parents were both musicians, my dad restored a cello for me when I was 5 and I never looked back. First record I played on repeat was Pablo Casals playing song of the birds and the Bach cello suites. It never occurred to me that there was anything else to do!

Rhys: At 7 years old seeing both Joshua Bell and Itzak Perlman play Ziguernewisen on VHS at my first teacher’s house. Hearing two notes being played at the same time so fast by these great performers blew my mind! I was also fascinated with the way Joshua Bell moved when he played.

My real life changing moment happened when I was 12 years old. Completely by chance, I realized that if I played fast enough, I could bounce the bow on the string and keep it going. I remember the feeling, the absolute joy of discovering how to do this on my own and just wanting to tell everyone what I could do!

Who or what have been the most significant influences on your musical life and career?

Rowie: Too many to count! The most significant are my teachers Leonid Gorokhov, Hannah Roberts, Paul Watkins and Guenther Pichler but I’m influenced by many old and new artists such as Anastasia Kobekina and Kian Soltani. Being surrounded by musicians my whole life influences you all the time in different ways. 

Rhys: All my teachers! Ted Wilson, Wen Zhou Li,  Harry Cawood and Mateja Marinkovic. They were all incredibly inspiring and I learnt with each of them at just the right time in my development. 

After becoming a member of the LSO, I found huge inspiration from the orchestra’s concertmaster, Gordan Nikolic. He was a great player, musician and philosopher. Pretty much everything he said in rehearsals would make me want to play better and try harder. One day, when I pluck up enough courage, I want to ask him for a lesson!

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

Rowie: Breaking my finger whilst taking my pants off. I didn’t play properly for about a year, it was a very thought provoking time. 

Rhys: Getting through my London Symphony Orchestra trial which took a year after already playing with the orchestra for 5 years. The job had belonged to my first violin teacher’s daughter and at that time was the sole source of my income. The pressure was enormous – I still don’t know how I made it through!

Of which performances/recordings are you most proud?

Rowie: Our latest EP! It’s called Mission Impossible and features 4 of 16 film music scores we had arranged for us, each featuring an epic sound design soundscape. It was a completely original project for us and one we cared deeply about. We worked with incredible people to make this and learned many skills along the way. 

Rhys: We put all our energy into this EP release and felt no corners were cut, We funded it ourselves – it was a passion project more than anything else. We wanted it to be as perfect as we could make it. It was such a technically difficult challenge to maintain the epic size of the score with essentially only two instruments. 

What do you do offstage that provides inspiration on stage?

Rowie: practice, nature, kids, listen to music, read about music

Rhys: I listen to a lot of great music played by my favorite old school artists. 

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Rowie: that you have been able to showcase the very best of yourself in a performance or recording. 

Rhys: When people stay until the end of the concert!

What advice would you give to young or aspiring musicians?

Rowie: Practice a lot but also know a bit about the industry as only playing well is not enough. Don’t bend the type of musician you are for other people, stay true to yourself.

Rhys: Love your instrument, love the music you play. The rest will fall into place

What’s the one thing we’re not talking about in the music industry which you really feel we should be?

Rhys: How musicians can create musical assets for themselves. 

What next? Where would you like to be in 10 years’time?

Rowie: I hope I’m doing more of what I’m doing now! The violin and cello sound world has infinite potential. We are working on several new ideas and collaborations and I hope we manage to release and tour with them all.

Rhys: Exactly what Rowie said! 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Rowie: Playing great music with great friends and messing about with my husband and kids. 

Rhys: Having more time!

What is your most treasured possession?

Rowie: My Grandmother’s wedding ring which I wear

Rhys: My Tononi violin. It used to belong to one of my teachers and through a stroke of good fortune, it now belongs to me. I have to thank the LSO for helping me buy it – I will be forever in debt to them!

What is your present state of mind?

Rowie: I’m squished in the back of a car surrounded by kids and camping gear driving through Thailand with palm trees either side of me, mountains in the distance, the sun set is making me squint and my bum is numb. 

Rhys: I’ve never been more excited than I am right now! I think musically we are going to go to places I never thought possible five years ago – I can’t wait to see where the journey takes us…

R2ViolinCello’s EP Mission Impossible is out now

r2violincello.com