R2
R2 are the world’s leading violin & cello duo whose primary focus is to help raise money through concerts for charities that are committed to making a difference in the world. From saving endangered species in Asia to cleaning the world’s oceans of plastic, R2 seek to heighten global awareness through their energising and eye-popping performances
R2ViolinCello
RHYS WATKINS
Violin
Welsh violinist Rhys Watkins has an established career as soloist, recitalist and orchestral leader. Rhys graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and became a member of the first violin section of the London Symphony Orchestra in 2009. Rhys has performed as a concerto soloist with the LSO in both the Barbican Centre and LSO St. Luke’s and has also represented the orchestra by giving recitals in embassies throughout the world including Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Madrid and Kuwait. Rhys has been a finalist and prize-winner in several major international competitions including the Jeunesses Musicales International Violin Competition (Belgrade) and the Paganini International Violin Competition (Moscow). Rhys is a member of the award-winning Artea String Quartet with whom he has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and BBC Proms. The Artea Quartet have made numerous live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and have recorded several CDs of the Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets under the Champs Hill label to great critical acclaim.
ROWENA CALVERT
Cello
Rowena Calvert leads an enormously varied and enjoyable career as a soloist and chamber musician.
As a founding member of the Cavaleri String Quartet, highlights include first prize at the 2012 Hamburg International Chamber Music Competition, second prize at the 2014 Osaka ICMC and the ‘Special Prize’ at the Premio Paolo Borciani ICMC.
As a soloist, Rowena has performed in the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Queens Hall, as well as performing live on Classic FM and also Radio 3 as part of BBC Young Musicians.
Rowena taught cello and chamber music in the Royal College of Music, London, as a Leverhulme Junior Fellow and also at Oxford University, Oxford, whilst Quartet in Residence.
As an orchestral musician, Rowena performs frequently in the BBC Proms and has recorded music for multiple films including Wonder Woman, Mission Impossible and the animation ‘Up’. Most recently she has enjoyed touring as part of the band for Hans Zimmer and also Nigel Kennedy.
![R2ViolinCello - Duel of the Fates [OFFICIAL VIDEO]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/36c640_7d777b6ca7944945975342102c6e1364f002.jpg/v1/fill/w_2820,h_1586,enc_auto/file.jpeg)