Eda Kersey

She premiered a number of important works, including the Bax Violin Concerto, but her career was cut short by her early death.

She studied with Edgar Mouncher, a pupil of Otakar Ševčík;[2][6][7] under him, she prepared the first movement from Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No.

[14] Kersey premiered Arthur Benjamin's Romantic Fantasy on 24 March 1938, with violist Bernard Shore, at a Royal Philharmonic Society concert conducted by the composer.

She and Kathleen Long were regular artists at Dame Myra Hess's National Gallery Lunchtime Concerts.

[15][16] In September 1942, along with Frederick Thurston (clarinet) and Ilona Kabos (piano), Kersey gave the first British performance of Bartok's Contrasts, which was composed in 1938 for Benny Goodman and Josef Szigeti.

[19] Her death was announced by the BBC in the 6 o'clock news on 13 July, and an appreciation of her by Gerald Moore, was broadcast at the same time.

[21] The prize became known as the Eda Kersey Memorial Exhibition and was awarded to a talented and deserving violinist at the Royal Academy of Music.

[22] Kersey's recordings are few: they include the Bax Concerto and pieces by Brahms, Fritz Kreisler, Jules Massenet and Jenő Hubay.