Biography

Danushka Edirisinghe is a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studies with Hannah Roberts. During his studies, he has won several prestigious awards, including the May Mukle/Douglas Cameron Cello Prize, the Strings and Piano Duo Prize, and graduated his undergraduate degree receiving the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Prize. His studies have been generously supported by the Musicians’ Company, Help Musicians, the Countess of Munster Trust, and the Craxton Memorial Trust.

Danushka is a member of the Isla String Quartet, who were recently awarded 1st Prize, the Audience Prize and the Haydn Prize at the 2nd International String Quartet Competition Bad Tölz 2026. They were also semi-finalists at the 12th Osaka International Chamber Music Competition 2026 and received the “Edda Beutler” Special award at the 75th ARD International Music Competition 2026 after reaching the semi-finals. They are currently Tillet Debut Artists and were selected as Britten Pears Young Artists for 2023-2024 as well as Tunnell Trust Music Club Award Scheme recipients for 2026. The quartet has performed at venues such as Jubilee Hall and St John’s Smith Square, and look forward to concerts at the Schloss Esterhazy in 2027 and the String Quartet Biennale in Amsterdam 2028. They have collaborated with composers Brett Dean and Ryan Wigglesworth and receive regular coaching from members of the Doric Quartet and Marmen Quartet.

As a recipient of the Musicians Company Postgraduate Award and the Concordia William Barthel Prize, he performed the Poulenc Sonata for Cello and Piano as well as works by Clara Schumann and Dani Howard at Wigmore Hall in May 2026. In 2025 he also had the opportunity to perform as a soloist in Sollima’s ‘Violoncelles, Vibrez!’ with the Britten Sinfonia in the Barbican Hall. In 2022, he was awarded first prize at the Haslemere International String Competition, leading to a performance of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D major with the London Mozart Players.

As a freelance orchestral musician, Danushka has performed with renowned ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia of London, and Royal Northern Sinfonia and he has toured with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra and Britten Sinfonia. His festival appearances include the Lucerne Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, and BBC Proms.

Award: Musicians’ Company Award 2025

Photo Credit: IOA Photography