Rosalind Ventris

Rosalind Ventris is a Senior Research Fellow in Music at St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford, and Director of Musical Performance and Performance Studies at Oxford. She holds a Professorship of Viola at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and previously taught at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Her academic roles include membership on St Hilda’s JdP Advisory Committee and affiliations with Trinity College. Educated at Cambridge University and the Guildhall School under David Takeno, her career bridges performance, teaching, and research.

Research focuses on late-nineteenth/early-twentieth-century string performance practices, informed by archival work at the British Library Sound Archive (as Edison Fellow) and contemporary music performance. She explores women’s contributions to music history, authoring The Strad article on overlooked female performers. Awards include the RIAM Amplify Grant and Erasmus funding for Prague-based research.

As a violist, she performs globally with ensembles like the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective (Wigmore Hall Associates) and Trio Anima. Major projects include the SOLA album (Delphian Records, 2023) featuring works by women composers, nominated for a BBC Music Magazine Award. Upcoming recordings include Sally Beamish’s viola duo with the composer.

Her pedagogical contributions span Oxford, Guildhall, and the Royal Irish Academy. She co-directs the Cowbridge Music Festival, blending academic and artistic leadership. Key achievements include Dvořák discographies with the Albion Quartet and contemporary premieres with composers like Edwin Roxburgh.