Royal Academy of Music announces the 2026-2029 Nina Drucker Fellows

Starting this academic year Leonkoro Quartet, comprising Jonathan Schwarz (violin), Emiri Kakiuchi (violin), Mayu Konoe (viola) and Lukas Schwarz (cello), have been awarded the Nina Drucker Quartet Fellowship.

The Nina Drucker Quartet Fellowship supports talented string quartets at the start of their careers; it is designed for quartets to function at the highest professional level and contribute meaningfully to the Academy community. It is named in memory of Nina Drucker, a Junior Academy piano student from 1945-1951 who generously supported the Academy with a gift in her Will.

The Nina Drucker Quartet Fellowship offers the chosen ensemble access to internal and external performance opportunities. The ensemble will also support our chamber activity by coaching and performing alongside students for the next three academic years. 

Alongside performances at major international concert series and festivals, Leonkoro Quartet have received recognition from prestigious awards and prizes. Successes include the first prize at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition and the Concours International de Quatuor à Bordeaux, the Jürgen Ponto Foundation Music Prize, the MERITO String Quartet Award, the Concertgebouw’s Young Talent Award and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award.

Leonkoro Quartet’s debut album, released on Mirare in autumn 2023, was awarded the Choc de Classica de l’année the same year. In January 2026, the quartet released the album Out of Vienna with Alpha Classics. 

Leonkoro Quartet were BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists between 2022 and 2024 and are now Wigmore Hall Associate Artists (until 2031). The quartet is a Pirastro Artist and Henle App Ambassador.