Biography
From its earliest days the Mithras Trio has concentrated its programming on twentieth-century scores and newly written works. One of the ensemble’s first distinctions was its inclusion in the BBC New Generation Artists scheme.
The three musicians—Ionel Manciu on violin, Leo Popplewell on cello, and Dominic Degavino on piano—came together in 2017 during their initial week as students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and immediately began performing as a unit. They adopted the name Mithras in reference to the ancient Roman cult. Their training involved lessons with violist Matthew Jones, cellist Ursula Smith, and pianist Carole Presland, together with coaching from the Emerson Quartet and the Takács Quartet.
Competitions brought rapid recognition, the first arriving with first prize at the St. James Chamber Music Competition in 2018. The following year they secured the top award at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition and also claimed leading honors at the 67th Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition and the Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition. A three-year appointment as BBC New Generation Artists began in 2021.
The group has performed in major London halls, among them Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Purcell Room, and Milton Court Concert Hall, and has held residencies at the Snape Maltings Arts Complex and at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal. Festival and series engagements in Britain have included the Lake District Summer Music Festival, the Guildhall Chamber Music Festival, and the Brighton Coffee Concert Series.
A strong dedication to contemporary music is reflected in premieres of compositions by Joy Lisney and Péter Tornyai as well as sustained work with composers Julian Philips and Helen Grime. The trio issued its debut recording, Eros: Bridge, Grime, Eröd & Ginastera, on the Linn Records label in 2023.
The three musicians—Ionel Manciu on violin, Leo Popplewell on cello, and Dominic Degavino on piano—came together in 2017 during their initial week as students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and immediately began performing as a unit. They adopted the name Mithras in reference to the ancient Roman cult. Their training involved lessons with violist Matthew Jones, cellist Ursula Smith, and pianist Carole Presland, together with coaching from the Emerson Quartet and the Takács Quartet.
Competitions brought rapid recognition, the first arriving with first prize at the St. James Chamber Music Competition in 2018. The following year they secured the top award at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition and also claimed leading honors at the 67th Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition and the Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition. A three-year appointment as BBC New Generation Artists began in 2021.
The group has performed in major London halls, among them Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Purcell Room, and Milton Court Concert Hall, and has held residencies at the Snape Maltings Arts Complex and at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal. Festival and series engagements in Britain have included the Lake District Summer Music Festival, the Guildhall Chamber Music Festival, and the Brighton Coffee Concert Series.
A strong dedication to contemporary music is reflected in premieres of compositions by Joy Lisney and Péter Tornyai as well as sustained work with composers Julian Philips and Helen Grime. The trio issued its debut recording, Eros: Bridge, Grime, Eröd & Ginastera, on the Linn Records label in 2023.
Albums
