Kim Vaughan

Kim Vaughan began her musical studies in Derry and in 2000 was Northern Ireland Young Musician of the Year. She then studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 2009 she was a recipient of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Young Musicians’ Platform, which led to concerto performances with the Ulster Orchestra and a recital at the Belfast Festival.

She was a founding member of the Benyounes String Quartet (2007–22), with which she studied at the Haute École de Musique in Geneva under Gábor Takács-Nagy, winning the conservatory’s most esteemed prize. Further prizes included the 2012 International Sándor Végh String Quartet Competition. The Benyounes String Quartet performed at leading venues and festivals in the UK and Europe. Committed to contemporary music, it gave premieres and performances of works by Thomas Adès, Poul Ruders, Philip Cashian, Simon Bainbridge, Francisco Coll, Deirdre Gribbin, Charlotte Bray, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Robert Saxton, Hugh Wood, Jonathan Harvey and John Woolrich.

Kim plays an English cello of c1770 by William Forster for which she is grateful for the support of Harriet’s Trust.