Maria Angelina Crîngașu
Maria is a Year 13 student at The Purcell School, where she studies violin under the guidance of Nathaniel Vallois. Originally from Romania, she began her musical education at the George Enescu National College of Music before joining The Purcell School for Sixth Form.
Maria began playing the violin at the age of six and has studied with renowned Romanian violinists, including Professor Ladislau Csendes and Remus Azoiței. Her talent has led her to perform on prestigious stages, including a solo violin appearance with the Choir of the Patriarchate at the Romanian Athenaeum in Year 10.
An active choral singer since the age of eight, Maria has toured internationally with the choir, performing in countries such as Italy and Greece.
Her accomplishments have been recognized with top prizes in Olympiads and national competitions, including the Mozart Competition, Timotei Popovici, Young Talents, and Dan Cumpata. She has also participated in masterclasses at the Icon Arts Festival and performed in notable events, such as the restitution concert in honor of George Enescu at his memorial museum.
In addition to her musical pursuits, Maria is committed to community service. She volunteers with Save the Children and frequently performs in charity concerts, using her music to make a meaningful impact.
Ella Harrison
Ella began learning the cello at the age of seven and currently studies at The Purcell School with Pal Banda. She also attends the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music and is the leader of the Cello section of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
A passionate chamber musician, Ella has performed at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall, the Elgar Concert Hall in Birmingham, and the Leeds International Chamber Music Series. Recent performances include Ravel’s Piano Trio, Mendelssohn’s Octet and Debussy’s String Quartet.
As a soloist, Ella has performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra at Bradshaw Hall and at Julian Lloyd Webber’s Broadway Arts Festival. She has also given a recital at Burgh House and collaborated with the Lee Singers in performances of Nystedt’s Stabat Mater and Tavener’s Svyati.
She has participated in masterclasses with renowned cellists such as Robert Cohen and Josephine Knight, and plays an English cello from the 1800s, generously loaned by Benslow.
Thomasine O’Sullivan
Thomasine first stepped into the world of music aged eleven when she began to teach herself the piano. This sensitivity was then nurtured by the London College of Music’s Junior Department, where she had lessons with Jeremy Davis and Christina Bailey. Around this point, she started exploring composition, which has become an intrinsically integral part of her expressive output. After winning the Romantic Category at the Watford Music Festival, she joined The Purcell School For Young Musicians in 2023. She studies piano with Nafis Umerkulova, and composition with Daniel Fardon, an inspiring combination of teachers who have enriched and deepened Thomasine’s musical explorations. Since joining Purcell, she has benefited from having her work performed for the first time, as well as from having the opportunity to perform frequently throughout the year.
Chonchanok (Suanoi) Sophonpanich
Chonchanok is a Thai-American flautist and singer who is currently studying at The Purcell School for Young Musicians. He has studied with Boonya Nakdee, Mihi Kim and Abigail Burrows. Chonchanok is currently studying with Mark Taylor and Clare Jefferis at The Purcell School. He has participated in extended summer courses with Hélène Boulègue and Paul Edmund-Davies. Chonchanok has also attended the Interlochen Arts Academy and was accepted into the Association of Music in International Schools (AMIS) as second flute. He won Second Prize at the Siam Ratchada flute competition, First Prize in The Purcell School’s annual Middle School Concerto Competition and Second Prize (and the audience vote) in the British Flute Society’s ‘Young Performer’ category. He has played at many prestigious venues including St John’s Smith Square, Cadogan Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Sala Sudasiri Sobha. In his free time, Chonchanok likes taking walks, learning French, and spending time with friends and family.
