Nathan Amaral, violin

Brazilian violinist Nathan Amaral was the first prize winner of the 2024 Sphinx Competition, subsequently winning the Grand Prize of both the Concert Artist Guild (CAG) and Young Concert Artist Trust (YCAT) competitions. Nathan has earned a reputation for being "...one of the rare musicians who not only possesses the gift of ample technical ability but uses it to transcend technique, getting to the heart and soul of musical expression… he draws his audiences in with a great range of color and emotion….” — Yo-Yo Ma. 

Nominated as a Classic FM ‘Rising Star’ in 2024, Nathan appeared in a SkyArts TV special championing some of today’s most exciting young classical artists, and went on to perform as soloist alongside the Philharmonia Orchestra as part of Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall. 

On the concerto platform he has also performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal College of Music Symphony at the Aldeburgh Festival, Jenaer Philharmonic, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Symphony and with the Chineke! Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre and on tour - a project which was also recorded by Decca. He has worked with various prominent conductors including JoAnn Falletta and Kirill Karabits. 

Upcoming engagements for Nathan in the 2025/26 season include UK recital tour with performances at Wigmore Hall, St. George’s Bristol and Barber Institute Birmingham among others, as well as his debut at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Bendigo Festival in Australia and a recital with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. 

Nathan has previously appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at venues including KKL at Lucerne Festival, Mozarteum Großer Saal, Berliner Philharmonie and Konzerthaus Dortmund, and has also been invited to perform with the Krzyzowa Music Festival, Yellow Barn in Vermont, Open Chamber Music (IMS Prussia Cove) and the Kaleidoscope Collective. Among his past chamber music partners are Tabea Zimmerman, Hilary Hahn, Donald Weilerstein, Paul Lewis, Viviane Hagner, Yura Lee, Julian Steckel, Eckart Runge, Anthony Marwood and Carolin Widmann. 

A prolific prize winner, Nathan has been awarded 1st and special prizes in numerous national and international competitions including the Paul Roczek Award at Mozarteum University Salzburg, Wiener Klassik Preis in Vienna, CIMA International Competition, Waslau Borkowski Violin Competition, the Eleazar de Carvalho Competition (the most significant prize for young musicians in Brazil) and the Ruggiero Ricci Violin Competition. 

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Nathan received his first violin lessons at the age of twelve as part of a social project in the favela of Mangueira. The project was intended as a recreational initiative to take children out of the streets due to the high risk of criminality and drug abuse. In a class of 200 students Nathan was the only one to pursue music, and to give back to his community, in 2021 Nathan founded his own festival (Week of Musical Integration) to support and teach young musicians from difficult backgrounds in Brazil. His initiative has gained visibility and interest on major TV channels in Brazil, including a documentary of his life. With the belief that music should be accessible to everyone regardless of background, and alongside his performing career, Nathan’s personal mission is to establish an institution for underprivileged music students and people of colour in his hometown. 

Nathan is a graduate of the New England Conservatory on full scholarship under the guidance of Donald Weilerstein, having also previously studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum. 

He is a Thomastik Infeld Artist and Coregami Ambassador. 

Nathan is extremely grateful to Andrea König for her support during his time with YCAT.