Richart van Zyl, born 2005 in Sussex, began his fascination with the violin at the age of one, took naturally to performing and gave his first public concert aged three. Having been a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain between the ages of 10 and14 he has performed in many of the UK’s most prestigious concert halls.

He has won numerous awards, including top prizes at a number of festivals and competitions resulting in solo recitals for the likes of Sevenoaks Music Club and at Holy Trinity Hastings with members of the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed as soloist with local orchestras including Mid Sussex Sinfonia, Lewes Concert Orchestra and the Corelli Ensemble of which he is a regular member.

Throughout 2025 he was selected for a music project at Stradivari House in Cremona, Italy, where he participated in masterclasses with various soloists and collaborated with the new generation of violin makers in the recently restored workshop as was common practice in the days of Stradivari.

Richart is also an avid composer and his compositions have been performed at the Royal College of Music, where he studied violin, composition, conducting and piano in the Junior department. He is currently studying violin with Maeve Jenkinson with additional guidance from Prof. Michał Cwizewicz, Prof. So-Ock Kim and Prof. Kirill Troussov.

Whilst being passionate about classical music, Richart particularly enjoys writing, arranging and performing in a diverse range of genres. He is frequently invited to contribute music for theatre and visual arts projects, valued for his ability to improvise and respond creatively in the moment.