Amarins Wierdsma

Amarins is the founding first violinist of the internationally acclaimed Barbican Quartet, one of Europe's most exciting young chamber ensembles. Formed in London in 2014 while its members were studying at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the quartet has developed a distinctive artistic identity, earning praise for its deeply considered interpretations, adventurous programming, and uniquely vibrant sound. The ensemble achieved international recognition in 2022 by winning First Prize at the prestigious ARD International String Quartet Competition in Munich, widely regarded as one of the world's foremost competitions for chamber music. In addition to the top prize, the quartet received several special awards, including prizes for the best interpretation of the commissioned work, the Henle Urtext Prize, the GEWA Prize, and a Genuin Classics recording award. This success followed earlier victories including First Prize at the Joseph Joachim International Chamber Music Competition in Weimar and Third Prize at the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition, firmly establishing the quartet among the leading ensembles of its generation.

Since these landmark achievements, the Barbican Quartet has performed extensively throughout Europe and internationally, appearing at many of the continent's leading concert halls and festivals. Their engagements have included performances at venues such as Wigmore Hall in London, Het Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, Casa da Música in Porto, and festivals including the Rheingau Music Festival, String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, and numerous international tours throughout Europe and North America. Their performances have been broadcast by BBC Radio 3, BR Klassik, NDR, and Dutch national radio, and their recordings have received widespread critical acclaim for their freshness, intensity, and musical insight. Alongside the core quartet repertoire, the ensemble has developed a strong commitment to contemporary music, championing new works alongside the great masterpieces of the string quartet literature.

Alongside her chamber music career, Amarins has become highly regarded as a guest concertmaster, regularly leading distinguished orchestras across Europe. She has appeared as concertmaster with ensembles including the Münchener Kammerorchester, Manchester Camerata, Camerata Salzburg, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, among others. Her leadership is valued for its combination of stylistic sensitivity, clarity of communication, and collaborative musicianship, qualities that naturally complement her extensive experience as a chamber musician.

As a soloist, Amarins has performed concertos and recitals throughout Europe and beyond. Engagements have taken her to major venues including Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and London's Wigmore Hall, while international recital tours have included appearances in the United States and Indonesia. Her concerto repertoire ranges from Bach and Mozart to Brahms, Prokofiev, and Vaughan Williams, and she is equally committed to presenting intimate recital programmes that explore both established and lesser-known works for violin.

Born in Utrecht into a musical family, Amarins began playing the violin at the remarkably early age of two through the Suzuki method. She studied first with the renowned Dutch pedagogue Coosje Wijzenbeek, before continuing her education with Vera Beths at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 2013 she moved to London to study with the celebrated violin teacher David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she completed both her Master's degree and postgraduate studies with distinction. Throughout her formative years she participated in leading international festivals and masterclasses, including IMS Prussia Cove, the International Holland Music Sessions, Kronberg Academy, Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, and the East Neuk Festival, working with many of the world's most distinguished musicians. Her chamber music studies were further shaped through intensive coaching with Günter Pichler at the Reina Sofía String Quartet Academy in Madrid, members of the Quatuor Ébène in Munich, and mentors including the Belcea Quartet, Ferenc Rados, András Keller, David Waterman, Oliver Wille, and many other leading chamber musicians.

Amarins' exceptional talent was recognised from an early age through numerous national and international awards. Among her distinctions are the Royal Philharmonic Society's Emily Anderson Prize, the Kersjes Violin Award, Dutch Young Musician of the Year, First Prize at the Davina van Wely Violin Competition, First Prize at the Princess Christina Competition, First Prize at the Iordens Violin Days, and Third Prize at the prestigious Oskar Back National Violin Competition. These successes established her as one of the Netherlands' most promising young violinists before launching her international career.

An equally passionate educator, Amarins is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. She regularly gives masterclasses and chamber music coaching to young performers, sharing the collaborative values that have become central to her own artistic identity. From autumn 2026 she will serve as Junior Chamber Music Fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she will mentor student chamber ensembles while continuing her international performing career.

Whether performing as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, or teacher, Amarins is recognised for performances that combine technical brilliance with warmth, imagination, and a profound commitment to musical dialogue. Her career reflects a rare versatility, bringing together the disciplines of chamber music, orchestral leadership, and education in a way that continues to shape her growing international reputation.