Julia Loucks

Born in Montréal, Canadian violinist Julia Loucks moved to London to pursue her postgraduate studies with Itzhak Rashkovksy and Laura Samuel at the Royal College of Music. She was appointed Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Welsh National Opera orchestra in 2017 after joining the award-winning Jubilee String Quartet in 2015. She has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player in London, Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, Canada, and cities throughout England and Wales.

She was a member of Southbank Sinfonia in 2013, during which time she appeared as a soloist with Piazzolla’s “Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas”, as well as taking part in chamber music concerts in the Purcell Room for the Rest is Noise Festival and the Crush Room at the Royal Opera House. Julia was a finalist in the TD Canada TrustCompetition in 2012, and has performed at the New Virtuosi, Wye Valley, Spitalfields, Burford, and Windrush Chamber Music festivals, as well as recitals and masterclasses in Cambridge, Kings Place, and Dartington. She has been a member of numerous youth orchestra and performance programs in Europe, Canada and the United States, such as the Schleswig Holstein Festival Orchestra (Christopher Eschenbach, Director), Domaine Forget Chamber Music, New Virtuosi Festival, Bowdoin Music Festival, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

While studying at the RCM, Julia was a Frederick Johnston
Scholar supported by an Astor award. She has received generous support from the Williamson Foundation and Dartington School, as well as the Afternoon Music Club of Phoenixville and Matt Bailey Memorial Scholarships, both of which are awarded to a student pursuing music performance at a major university or conservatory. She is incredibly grateful to the Stradivari Trust and Oxford Violins for their help in allowing her to play on the beautiful 1685 Grancino violin.