Despina Homatidou

Hailed as an ‘extraordinary talented musician’ (Leonberg Kreiszeitung) with a ‘brilliant technique’ (Seistro, Athens), Despina was offered an MMus scholarship to study harpsichord at London’s GSMD after graduating from RWCMD with the Principal’s Award.

As a continuo player, she has accompanied in masterclasses for Jordi Savall and appeared in Queen Elizabeth Hall with the Musicians of London and the Goldsmiths Choral Union in Handel’s ‘Israel in Egypt’.

With the ensemble Babillage she was a finalist in the York International Early Music Competition, and performed in the XXIV Barcelona Early Music Fringe Festival and was subsequently invited to participate in a concert series for Café Zimmermann, broadcast on Spanish Radio.

Despina has collaborated extensively with renowned guitarist John Mills and regularly performs with composer and flautist Sofia Mavrogenidou, with whom she recorded music by Miloš Štědroň that was released in the Czech Republic.

Her performing highlights include a recital in the V&A Museum in honour of Prince of Wales as part of the celebrations for the opening of British Galleries. In Athens she has performed with the Camerata Orchestra under the conductors Alexandros Myrat and Christopher Warren-Green.

Despina and the baroque violinist Magdalena Cieślak, are the founding members of the Indigo ensemble, exploring music with baroque, jazz and Celtic elements.

In her role as harpsichord and basso continuo tutor at RWCMD and Cardiff University, Despina enjoys working with British and international students - she has a special interest in the performance practice of early keyboard repertoire on the piano.