Programme includes

Bach:                       Sonata for Viola da Gamba in G BWV 1029
Saariaho:              Sept Papillons
Debussy:              Sonata for Cello and Piano L.135
de Falla:                Suite populaire espagnole for Cello and Piano
Dvorak:                 Silent Woods op. 68/5
Britten:                  Sonata for Cello and Piano op.65 in C

This concert is being made possible with support from The Countess of Munster Musical Trust.

Montenegrin cellist Kosta Popović, born in Podgorica, Montenegri in 2000, studied under his father, Mladen Popović, before moving to the UK in 2017 to attend Whitgift School, where he was awarded the Headmaster’s music scholarship, and Junior Guildhall. In 2019, he began his undergraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2023.

Kosta has performed internationally as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician. As a founding member of the Fibonacci Quartet, he won First Prize at the Royal Overseas League and CAVATINA competitions. He has collaborated with renowned artists at the Santander Festival, MDW Summer Academy, and more. A recipient of numerous awards, he has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of Ancient Music. Currently, Kosta is in his second year of master’s studies at GSMD under professor Louise Hopkins.

Kosta is the founding member of the Fibonacci Quartet formed in September 2019. In 2020 the ensemble won the First as well as the Audience prize at the Beethoven Competition for young musicians. Being the youngest competitors competing. Shortly after that they won 1st prize at St James Chamber Music Competition in London. Based in Guildhall School of Music and Drama coached and mentored by Krysia Osostowicz. They have also received further guidance by the members of the Castalia, Endellion, Bozzini and Consone Quartets as well as Adrian Brendel and the Gould Trio.

Valentina Wang is an Italian pianist based in London, currently in demand as a versatile collaborative pianist, chamber musician and song accompanist. She is a recent graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where she completed an Artist Diploma course in Piano Accompaniment under the guidance of Caroline Palmer.

She previously obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Solo Piano Performance at Conservatorio Peri in Reggio Emilia, Italy, where she was awarded the ‘Giovanna and Fabrizia Magnani’ scholarship for outstanding academic achievement.

She is a prizewinner of several national and international competitions. Among them are J.S Bach Competition, Castiglion Fiorentino Competition, G.Rospigliosi Competition, and Steinway Piano Competition. Together with Lycos Trio, founded in 2019, she won First Prize at Palmanova International Competition, Piove di Sacco Competition and Sarzana International Competition. Most recently, she was awarded first prize at the 2025 Jubilee Accompaniment Prize at Guildhall.

Recent appearances include performances at St. James Piccadilly, St. Olaves Church, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Romolo Valli, Musica d’Estate Festival in Bardonecchia, ‘Dialoghi sul comporre’ Festival in Reggio Emilia, Pistoia Musica Antica and Kalvia Baroque Festival in Finland. She also appeared as an orchestral pianist, performing at Barbican Concert Hall with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra.

As a passionate collaborative pianist, she has been working with Conservatorio Peri and Conservatorio Monteverdi as a staff pianist. She was selected for an Erasmus internship at Conservatorio Segui in Castellon de la Plana, and is currently a freelance professional accompanist at Guildhall.