Loan Cazal

French violist Loan Cazal gained early recognition in 2014 as principal viola in Yuri Bashmet’s youth orchestra, later performing with him at the Musikverein in Vienna. At 19, he became principal viola of the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, the youngest in Germany at the time, leading performances across major German concert halls and cities. He has since appeared as guest principal viola with orchestras including the Staatskapelle Weimar, Brussels Philharmonic, La Monnaie, Luxembourg Philharmonic, and others, working with conductors such as Klaus Mäkelä and Jean-Claude Casadesus. From 2019–2020 he was principal viola of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Active in chamber music, he collaborates with leading artists and is currently artist in residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel. He plays a 1775 Guadagnini viola.