Croatian-born violinist, Bojan Čičić, first played for Wye Valley Music over a decade ago when he was a member of Rachel Podger’s Brecon Baroque ensemble. He has since established himself as one of the leading names on the early music scene, as both a soloist and as music director of the Academy of Ancient Music. He is Professor of baroque Violin at the Royal College of Music and is passionate about training the next generation of instrumentalists in historically-informed performing styles. He performs regularly as leader with the most prestigious early music ensembles at home and abroad. His recent recording of JS Bach: Sonatas and Partitas was nominated for the Critic’s Choice 2023 in the Gramophone Magazine and Editor’s Choice in BBC Music Magazine.
 
Čičić has mastered the illusion of musician as conduit. The music just seems to pour out of him, and his playing conveys that he has to do very little to make it work so well. Yet Čičić is doing plenty. His excellent and always stylish ornamentation is the most obvious evidence of this. - Gramophone

“ …underpinned by a magisterial virtuosity” - BBC Music Magazine

Bojan originally founded The Illyria Consort to explore rare repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries from the Venetian Republic to the Habsburg Empire. The group has since performed widely at early music festivals in Europe and the UK. Their fast-growing list of recordings has achieved great critical acclaim. For our Monmouth concert, Bojan presents Melancholy and Madness - a sparkling programme including works by Italian composers Corelli, Tartini and Veracini. This will be an opportunity to enjoy a performance by an artist of rare gifts and an equally talented ensemble who share a passion for introducing audiences to less familiar composers of the baroque era.

MELANCHOLY AND MADNESS
Including works by Veracini, Tartini and Corelli