Maxim Calver

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British cellist Maxim Calver made his concerto debut in Symphony Hall, Birmingham as part of the Grand Final of BBC Young Musician 2018. His performance of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, was praised for its ‘natural ease’ and ‘emotional lyricism’. Earlier in the competition he won the Strings Category, performing works by Lutoslawski, Brahms and Stravinsky. 

Highlights since then include performances across the UK and the Channel Islands where he has appeared as concerto soloist with the Bath, Stockport and Maidstone Symphony Orchestras, the Orpheus Sinfonia and at Cadogan Hall, London for a performance of Brahms’ Double Concerto with Menuhin Competition prize-winner Tianyou Ma. His recital highlights include appearances at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, Norwich Assembly Rooms and St. James’ Guernsey amongst many others. In February 2020 he was a finalist in the Strings Category of the Royal Overseas League Competition, where his performance was singled out for the “elegance of his technique, overall sound and natural poeticism” (Strad Magazine, 2020). 

In 2021, Maxim will make his European concerto debut at the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg where he will peform Schumann’s Cello Concerto. Other highlights include a return to Mote Hall, Maidstone to perform Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor as well as recitals across the UK. In February 2021 Maxim recorded solo at Abbey Road Studios with the LGT Young Soloists and he will be appearing with the group across the UK and Europe in the coming months.

Originally from Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk, Maxim studied with Maja Passchier before moving to the Yehudi Menuhin School to study with Thomas Carroll. He currently studies at the Royal College of Music with Professor Melissa Phelps, where he is the Herbert Howells & Thomas Fielden Scholar. Maxim is also a Hattori Foundation Junior Award recipient and has participated in masterclasses with leading cellists including Steven Isserlis, Heinrich Schiff, Julian Lloyd Webber, Paul Katz and Guy Johnston.

Also a passionate chamber musician, Maxim has performed in many of the leading venues across the UK and Europe including St. Johns Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and Berlin Konzerthaus. He has also appeared at festivals all across Europe including the International Pau Casals Festival, Klosters Music Festival, Lewes Chamber Music Festival and the Lewes Chamber Music Festival.

Maxim is grateful to the Young Classical Artists Trust for their generous support in their aftercare scheme for BBC Young Musician finalists.

Maxim plays an Alberto Aloyisius Blanchi cello, dated 1906.