Meet the soloist
Luke Stepanyak is our soloist on 29 September. At 16-years-old, this British–Ukrainian violinist is starting to get really noticed in the classical music world, developing an increasingly diverse repertoire centring on the great Romantic concertos as well as the works of J.S. Bach.
Luke made his London concerto debut in April this year performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the Willow Orchestra. We met up with him to find out a little more about his background, and his plans for the future…
Tell us a little about your background as a musician…
My family are all musicians, although none are string players, so the violin was something a little different! When I was four, I went to a London International Concert Orchestra concert conducted by Alexander Walker, where our family friend Irina Tsvigun, who later became my first violin teacher, was performing. I remember very little of the programme, but apparently I sat in the front row completely absorbed by the music. I like to think that’s where it all began.
Can you name your favourite performing moment so far?
My London concerto debut, playing Mendelssohn earlier this year, really stands out. Having grown up watching violinists perform with orchestras, being the person standing there myself felt very special.
How would you hope to see yourself 10 years from now?
I’d love to be performing around the world, playing the music I love and discovering places and people along the way. I also hope chamber music will be a big part of my life – making music with friends is something I’d always want to keep.
What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming performance of Bruch’s First Violin Concerto?
I’m looking forward to hearing how everything comes together with George Jackson and Firebird after all the time spent practising on my own. There’s so much to enjoy in this concerto, from the singing lines of the slow movement to the excitement of the finale, and I’m looking forward to sharing that with the audience.
What instrument will you be using for your performance with Firebird on 29 September?
I’ll be playing my own violin, handcrafted by Volodymyr Antoniuk in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, using Ukrainian Carpathian spruce. It’s my only violin, so it’s with me through all the daily practice as well as the performances!
Bruch with Luke
Tuesday 29 September 2026, 7.30pm
St George’s Hanover Square, 2A Mill Street, Mayfair, London W1S 1FX
Sarasate Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20
Bruch Violin Concerto no. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
Beethoven Symphony no. 6 in F, Op. 68 Pastorale
Conductor George Jackson
Violin Luke Stepanyak
