Fiona Bonds studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, before being awarded scholarships to continue her training in Berlin with Wolfram Christ. Whilst a student, she won all the prizes for solo and chamber playing and became Principal Viola of the European Union Youth Orchestra, performing across Europe and worldwide under leading conductors. Since then she has enjoyed a richly varied and successful musical career.
Fiona is Associate Principal Viola of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and a member of their acclaimed Chamber Ensemble. She is also Principal Viola of the City of London Sinfonia, a role offering frequent opportunities to appear as a soloist and explore a wide repertoire.
Chamber music has always been central to Fiona’s musical life. She is delighted to have recently joined the Magginis, bringing her experience and enthusiasm to one of Britain’s most respected ensembles. Earlier in her career, along with Will Schofield she was a founder member of the Emperor String Quartet, which in 1995 became the first British group to win the Évian International String Quartet Competition and whose recording of Walton received a Grammy nomination. Fiona has also recently become a member of The English String Ensemble and Ensemble Serafin.
In the 2024–25 season, Fiona presented a chamber music series in her hometown of Hertford, generously funded by The Marriner Project, celebrating Sir Neville Marriner’s legacy and bringing world-class performances to her community.
Orchestrally, Fiona is in demand as guest principal viola for most of London’s symphony and chamber orchestras. She also enjoys an active recording career and can be heard on the soundtracks of many of the major films made in the last 15 years.
Away from the concert platform, Fiona has coached the viola section of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and regularly returns to the Royal Academy of Music to give performance classes, lead sectionals, and act as an examiner. Fiona also participates in music workshops for people experiencing homelessness, which she finds intensely rewarding.
She plays on an unnamed viola which she was reliably informed was “made up a mountain in Italy somewhere” in around 1760, but whose provenance is otherwise a mystery!
Photo: Matthew Johnson