Ryan Drucker (piano) joined the Musicians' Company Young Artists' Programme after he was awarded our Carnwath Piano Scholarship in 2017. Toby White (cello) joined the Musicians' Company Young Artists' Programme after winning a Musicians' Company award in 2017. Here they perform Rachmaninoff’s 'Zdes’ Khoroso' and 'Vocalise', and Mendelssohn’s 'Song without words’. Ryan and Toby write: "Whilst in lockdown we both took a great interest in vocal music and began looking for interesting and wonderful songs written or arranged for the cello. Our first piece is translated as ‘How fair is this place’: All is well here... Look, in the distance The river glows like a fire; The meadows are like a colourful carpet, And there is the whiteness of clouds. There is nobody here. All is quiet… Here I am alone with God. And the flowers, and the old pine, And you, my dream… The poem that this beautiful song is set too is particularly apt for this time, as we slowly return to normal life. We hopefully have all had a chance to return to our favourite places in nature with a new sense of wonder and appreciation for the world we live in and for the people we love. The second two songs are both songs without words: beautiful and simple songs that whilst have no specific words spark vivid images and emotional landscapes, unique to each person and are perfect for reflecting and looking forward to brighter times ahead." Belgian born pianist Ryan Drucker and Yorkshire cellist Toby White met whilst completing their Artist Diplomas at the #GuildhallSchool of Music and Drama and co-founded the Jumis Ensemble. In January 2019 Toby was selected for the Tillett Young Artists Platform and made his Wigmore hall debut in October that year as part of the scheme. He continues to perform regularly as a recitalist and soloist throughout the UK. Most recent highlights include joining the EUCO for a series of Haydn concertos in October 2019. Alongside his success as a soloist and recitalist Toby enjoy’s a busy career as a chamber musician. As well as being a member of the Jumis ensemble Toby was appointed was appointed the cellist of the Jubilee String Quartet in 2017, performing regularly around the UK and Europe. In March 2019 the quartet released their debut album of Haydn quartets with Rubicon Classics. Since performing at the Wigmore Hall at the age of sixteen, Ryan has played in many distinguished venues throughout the UK and abroad in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain and Switzerland, as well as having a live performance broadcast on BBC Radio 3. In recent years, Ryan has received first prize in both Brant International Piano Competition and the piano category of the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition, and was awarded the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Scholarship and the Carnwath Scholarship. Alongside his solo successes, Ryan is an avid chamber musician and as well as playing with the Jumis Ensemble has collaborated with many esteemed musicians including Nicholas Daniel, Philip Higham, Matthew Jones, Alice Neary, Krysia Osostowicz and Rohan de Saram.

-------------------------------------------------- Musicians' Company Profiles - http://www.wcom.org.uk/yeoman/ryan-drucker http://www.wcom.org.uk/yeoman/toby-white About our Carnwath Piano Scholarship - https://www.wcom.org.uk/awards/the-carnwath-piano-scholarship About our Musicians' Company Award - http://www.wcomarchive.org.uk/--allcard-funds Ryan's Website - http://www.ryandrucker.co.uk Toby's Website - http://www.tobywhitecello.co.uk Ryan's Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ryandruckerpiano Ryan's Twitter - http://twitter.com/RDruckerPiano Toby's Twitter - http://twitter.com/tobywhitecello Toby's Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/tobywhitecello Toby's Spotify - http://open.spotify.com/artist/4CXGZvjzYuiOZAtRM1ECOc Ryan's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp-cgauKc6mqm0ppJXqYv9g Toby's YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVIvdngtTwJTReeFRJg1bXw -------------------------------------------------- Join our weekly #MiddayMusic e-news at http://eepurl.com/dv0ccr #MiddayMusic is supported by funds from the Musicians' Company’s Prince’s Prize which received a generous endowment in 2015 from The Eranda Rothschild Foundation and Rothschilds Bank, in memory of Leopold de Rothschild, a Liveryman of the Musicians’ Company for over 50 years. Donate to support The Musicians' Company Young Artists - http://www.justgiving.com/musicianscompanyfund