Biography
Julieanne Forrest, an accomplished Irish violinist, is currently pursuing her Master's in Violin Performance under Professor David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music in London. She is also taking part in the 2025-2026 Academie Philippe Jarossky at La Seine Musicale in Paris. A 2025 graduate of MUK Vienna with first-class honours, Julieanne studied with Professor Pavel Vernikov. Previously she studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) under Dr. Fionnuala Hunt. Julieanne was part of RIAM’s Young Scholar Programme and the Eversheds Sutherland Accelerator Academy.
Julieanne was named the National Concert Hall of Ireland’s Young Musician of the Year for Strings in 2019. She served as Concertmaster of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland (2018–2021), the RIAM Symphony Orchestra, and the DYO Symphony Orchestra. Her soloist career highlights include her debut with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in 2017, performing the Barber Violin Concerto at Carnegie Hall with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta in 2019, and playing Bruch’s Violin Concerto with the Wexford Sinfonia Orchestra at the National Opera House in 2022. In 2024, she performed Bill Whelan’s Inishlacken with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and in 2025, she played Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra. Julieanne has also performed as a soloist in France, Portugal, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, Serbia, and her hometown of Navan at the Solstice Arts Centre.
As an avid chamber musician, Julieanne tours extensively with the Reperti Trio, performing in renowned venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna, Salzburg, Brno, and, most recently, Mexico in August 2025. Her orchestral engagements include performances with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Niall Kinsella Orchestra, and the Irish Philharmonic Orchestra at the 2025 St John Proms in Trim, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Braveheart.
Julieanne is a multiple first-prize winner at major national competitions, including Feis Ceoil, and has received prestigious awards such as the inaugural John Pollard Bursary for Violin (2017), the Fr Frank Maher Classical Music Competition (2020), and the Trench Award at the Birr Music Festival (2023). In 2023, she earned a coveted spot in the global 50-person Symphony of Unity Orchestra.
A dedicated student of the violin, Julieanne has participated in masterclasses with world-renowned musicians, including Svetlana Makarova, David Takeno, Daniel Rowland, Olivier Charlier, Kirill Troussov, and Maxim Vengerov. She received scholarships to study with Kolja Blacher at the Razumovsky Academy in London (2020) and Mauricio Fuks at Académie Orford Musique in Canada (2018, 2019).
Julieanne performs on a Nicolo Gagliano Italian violin (c.1760), bringing her artistry to life with a rich, expressive tone. Passionate about connecting with audiences worldwide, she continues to inspire through her performances and dedication to her craft.
