Description
The Aster Duo will be performing a one hour recital of music which will be followed by an afternoon buffet in the beautiful setting of the Lovell Suite at the Swettenham Arms. This annual recital by RNCM students has been extremely popular since it was introduced over 15 years ago. Many of those who have performed previously have gone on to have stunning careers in music.
The Aster Duo, Nyra Jain and Chloe Chen, have been playing together since November 2023. Nyra and Chloe are currently in their second year of undergraduate study at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester. They gave their debut performance in March, 2024, at the RNCM Concert Hall performing Tico Tico no Fuba by Zequinha de Abreu and Handel-Halvorsen’s Passacaglia.
Nyra Jain (violinist) is a violinist from Mumbai, India, currently in her second year of BMus (Hons) in Violin Performance, under the tutelage of Sebastian Muller at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester.
On completing eleven years of study at the SOI (Symphony Orchestra of India) Music Academy, Mumbai, Nyra was the first recipient of their Diploma in April 2023. She has been on tour with the SOI within India as well as across the UK. In 2023 and 2024, Nyra had the privilege of performing as a part of the SOI under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta.
Nyra was the winner of the 2023 RNCM Eleanor Warren Salon Prize, and also won Third Prize in the ConBrio 2024 Violin Competition, Mumbai. She has participated in various masterclasses, including those with Yair Kless, Jennifer Pike, Viktoria Grigoreva and Zoya Nevgovska.
Nyra is also passionate about chamber music, currently part of the Sage Quartet and Aster Duo, as well as orchestral playing and has performed at venues such as Bridgewater Hall, Cadogan Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham and Usher Hall, with conductors Alpesh Chauhan, Martin Pickard, and Richard Farnes amongst others.
Nyra Jain appears by kind permission of the RNCM.
Chloe Chen (cellist) is a cellist from Singapore and is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) under the tutelage of Hannah Roberts. In her first year of studies, she was awarded the Amy Lindley Prize for Cello, and won the John Barbirolli Memorial Prize in her second year. Chloe is a keen chamber musician and is part of multiple chamber music ensembles, frequently giving performances across the UK. She has played with various orchestras in Singapore, including the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and was appointed principal in the National Youth Orchestra. She has also played in numerous venues, including Bridgewater Hall, Stoller Hall, Esplanade Concert Hall and Gewandhaus Leipzig.
Chloe Chen appears by kind permission of the RNCM.
The duo enjoy playing a varied repertoire consisting of a range of genres, and are always keen to explore new pieces.
