Will Duerden

Double bassist Will Duerden is a highly sought-after artist, in demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader with a growing international career spanning four continents. Will rose to prominence after reaching the Strings Category Final of 2018 BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition.

In 2023 Will was a winner at the Young Classical Artists Trust international auditions. He has been nominated as one of Classic FM’s 2024 Rising Stars, and has been announced as a Borletti-Buitoni Fellowship Artist 2024.

Will has had several significant new works specially written for him, with premieres in Milan and London. He recently performed Bottessini’s Gran Duo with the LGT Young Soloists alongside violinist Haeun Kim at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg. He has collaborated with artists such as Alexander Sitkovetsky, Lawrence Power and Maxim Rysanov.

Highlights of the 2023/24 season include his debut at St. George’s Bristol, plus performances at the North Norfolk Music and Buxton International Festivals.

Competition successes include winning the Yorke Double Bass Prize in this year’s Royal Overseas League Strings Competition Final, and reaching the upcoming semifinal in the International Society of Bassists Competition.

Soon after he started playing aged 7, Will was awarded a full scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School. An ABRSM Scholar at the Royal College of Music in London, he is also supported by the Drake Calleja Trust.

Download publicity pack

Press reviews

"Professionalism was also the hallmark of Will Duerden’s performance of the Tubin Double Bass concerto...Will (a former member of HSO, a BBC Young Musician finalist, and already a world-class instrumentalist) transfixed us with his virtuosity and musicality..."

John Sherlock / Horsham Symphony Orchestra / March 2019

Contact

To book Will please contact

Etta Dainty – Senior Artist Manager [email protected]

Adam Maxey - Assistant Artist Manager [email protected]

0207 379 8477

Follow Will on:

Latest

Development Manager

This position offers an experienced fundraiser an opportunity to play a strategic role as we shape and prepare the launch of a new strategy to widen our impact on a national, and international scale.
YCAT announces seven 2024 Finalists!

Following an intensive selection process with almost 170 applicants, we are now thrilled to announce our seven exciting finalists for 2024
Jonathan Leibovitz performs with Southern Pro Musica

Join Jonathan Leibovitz as he performs as the soloist for Southern Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra.
Ariel Lanyi performs with Alfred Brendel in Munich

Ariel Lanyi performs with Alfred Brendel as part of the Stars & Rising Stars series at Musikalische Begegnungen in Munich. Playing a programme of Beethoven, Chopin and Haydn, it is not one to miss out on.

Atenea Quartet

The Atenea Quartet, founded in 2019 in Barcelona, is an internationally acclaimed ensemble dedicated to exploring the vast string quartet repertoire.
Hana Chang
Trio Chagall
Ignas Maknickas
Charlotte Spruit
Sterling Elliott
Njioma Grevious

Described as “superb” by the Chicago Classical Review, violinist Njioma Chinyere Grevious is an emerging, passionate and versatile solo, chamber and orchestral musician and performer. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a winner of its John Erskine Prize for scholastic and artistic achievement.
Jonathan Leibovitz

In 2022 Jonathan was a prize-winner at the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) and Concert Artists Guild (New York) International Auditions held at Wigmore Hall.
Quatuor Agate

The Quatuor Agate were prize-winners in the 2021 YCAT International Auditions. This season they return to Wigmore Hall and give debut recitals at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Alte Oper Frankfurt.
Armand Djikoloum

Nominated as a 2022 Rising Star Artist by Classic FM, Armand was a prizewinner at the YCAT 2021 International Auditions.

Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux

Charlotte was a prize-winner at the 2021 YCAT International Auditions, in partnership with Concert Artists Guild (New York). In 2022, Champs Hill Records released her debut album of solo violin music. 'This sensitively recorded debut presents an artist with something of her own to say, and something worth hearing …' Gramophone/ Champs Hill Records Ostinata / June 2022
Eligibility
Repertoire Requirements
Apply to Audition

2024 Audition applications have now closed but find out about how to apply for 2025 and be the first to find out when the next round opens!
Other information
Our work

Founded in 1984, the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT) supports the early careers of musicians so they can go on to move generations of audiences around the world with their talent.
Past YCAT artists
Ariel Lanyi

In 2023, Ariel was honored to receive the Prix Serdang, a Swiss prize awarded by the distinguished Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder. He was also nominated as a Rising Star Artist by Classic FM in the same year. Prior to this Ariel won 3rd Prize at the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition, performing Brahms Concerto No. 2 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andrew Manze in the Finals.
Armand Djikoloum

Nominated as a 2022 Rising Star Artist by Classic FM, Armand was a prizewinner at the YCAT 2021 International Auditions.
Jobs