EXCLUSIVE: Nicola Benedetti on passion, perseverance and performing at the Caird Hall
- Andrew Batchelor
- Sep 29
- 5 min read
Nicola Benedetti is one of the world’s most celebrated violinists, known not only for her remarkable performances but also for her commitment to education and inspiring the next generation.
Over the course of her career, Nicola has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, appearing at major concert halls and festivals across Europe, North America and Asia.
Her playing has earned widespread acclaim for its technical mastery and emotional depth, establishing her as one of the foremost violinists of her generation.
Beyond her international performing career, Nicola has also taken on a leading role in shaping Scotland’s cultural life. Since 2022, she has served as Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, becoming the first woman and the first Scot to hold the position.
In this role, she has championed accessibility, collaboration and artistic ambition, working to ensure that the festival continues to be a world-leading celebration of music, theatre and the arts, while also deepening its connection with communities across Scotland.
Ahead of her upcoming concert at Dundee’s Caird Hall on 15 October, she exclusively spoke to Dundee Culture about her journey with the violin, the challenges of life as an international soloist, and why returning to Dundee holds such a special place in her heart.
Tickets are available but limited for An Evening with Nicola Benedetti at the Caird Hall concert on 15 October. Not to be missed!
What inspired you to take up the violin in the first place?
I don’t come from a musical family. Well, when I say that, none of my relatives had the resources or support to formally study an instrument. They were all musical of course – loved singing – and my uncle taught himself the guitar and my grandpa the accordion. My sister and I were the first to study with a teacher.
I was four years old and didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but as long as I was copying my sister I was happy!
I’m left-handed so I picked up the violin the wrong way around and was really upset when my teacher insisted on the other way. But after about lesson two or three, I got used to it and from then on absolutely loved playing.
The violin is hard to get going with – it can sound truly painful in the first few months, even years. But I was so fortunate to have a good teacher and stayed inspired enough to keep improving.
Who have been your biggest musical influences?
Honestly it has been a huge mix, but I would say I’m most inspired to keep practising because of the work of the composers.
Despite most of the time the composer not being physically there – or even alive – they are the strongest force in the room.
Their vision, their sound, their creation poured over for weeks and months, is what we are all collectively focused on doing justice to.
The mastery of a classical score, with countless layers of parts and intricate lines interwoven, is something to marvel at on a daily basis.
A lifetime isn’t enough to study what’s inside these scores. Of course, I had violinists I looked up to and still do, like Yehudi Menuhin, whose school I attended.
But throughout my life, I’ve been most inspired by the quieter individuals – those who are generous, kind, tenacious and heroic without all the fanfare. Those people have humbled me and kept me working harder.
What pieces do you most enjoy performing?
The works on this upcoming tour! I cannot wait to share them with people from the stage. They are the height of violin virtuosity, but also warm, beautiful, romantic and seductive.
Some pieces are so sweet and simple. There’s also a good dose of Scottish repertoire in there too.
For me, to share the stage with accordion, cello and guitar is such a huge treat. The combination of instruments literally came to me in the middle of the night.
We then got all this music arranged for the group, and thank goodness it has worked out amazingly well. I don’t remember the last time I was this excited about a tour!
What challenges have you faced as a violinist?
Oh goodness, I wouldn’t know where to start. The violin is such an intensely difficult and challenging instrument, and the life of touring as a soloist can be lonely and filled with pressure and isolation. But I became so tied to the challenge that I can’t imagine life without it.
One of the main challenges is that your adrenaline has to be channelled into the tiniest of muscles, and relies on your body being fluid and relaxed – not tight and tense.
Of course, learning long, complex pieces of music from memory is also a challenge, but after years of practice this becomes more natural.
The Benedetti Foundation has had a huge impact. How does it feel to give back?
I’ve always toured schools since the age of 15. Since the Foundation began, I’ve done less of this personally because my educational efforts are now channelled through it. It’s always been the most natural addition to my life.
I’ve always believed that if you have the gift of playing an instrument, then use that gift in every and all environments.
The Benedetti Foundation has reached over 100,000 children and it’s one of the proudest things I’ve been connected to.
We believe that a collective musical experience can be transformational for young people. Music enters the vibrations of our being in such a primal way, and can impact us hugely.
What are your memories of performing at Dundee’s Caird Hall?
I have the most incredible memories of Caird Hall. I played many pieces for the first time there, and I performed with the local Dundee Symphony Orchestra, which I absolutely adored – I believe it was the Bruch Violin Concerto.
We also hosted two massive Benedetti Sessions there, welcoming hundreds of young people to make music together.
It’s one of the greater acoustics and has such a naturally fantastic feel. When we were putting this tour together, I said we must, must play Dundee Caird Hall.”
What advice would you give to young musicians starting out?
Practice every single day, even if it’s just for a short time. Listen to the broadest, most diverse range of music possible – symphonies, the blues – and listen carefully and with humility.
Do it because you love it, and try to be constantly curious. Music is ultimately about human connection, so it has to come from a sincere place.
And finally, what’s next for Nicola Benedetti?
This tour repertoire has been recorded and will be coming out on an album soon. That’s what I’m most focused on right now and I cannot wait to share the project with the world.
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