Supporting Welsh musical talent

Hannah Lowri Roberts is a Welsh viola player based in London.

In 2021, Hannah was awarded the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund bursary which enabled her to study the viola on the Orchestral Artistry master’s course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The course’s connection to the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) provided invaluable opportunities.

“It was a huge honour to be able to work alongside the London Symphony Orchestra and to receive an insight into the professional world, musically and socially,” she reflects.

The top-quality education she received at the Guildhall School enabled her to establish a stepping stone from being a student to starting her professional career in the world of music.

Since graduating in 2023, Hannah has enjoyed freelancing with different orchestras across the UK. She has performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera and Sinfonia Cymru.

Recent notable achievements in her musical career include winning the Young Instrumentalist Prize at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in 2022, winning 1st prize at the National Eisteddfod String Solo Competition, age 19+, and making her concerto debut performing Martinu Viola Concerto with the Cardiff Youth Orchestra in 2022.

Hannah’s Welsh heritage remains central to her identity as a musician.

“It’s a privilege to be able to perform regularly in Wales and to maintain a connection with where my musical journey began,” she says. “I am a proud Welsh musician, so it is very special for me to be able to return home and to share music making with others.”

Speaking about the impact of the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund, Hannah expresses her gratitude:

“Without their generous bursary, studying at the Guildhall School would not have been possible, so I will forever be grateful.”