BOP Symphonia is delighted to have Lev Sivkov as its cello soloist for the forthcoming ‘Out of the Shadows' concert on July 10.

Lev, an international artist based in Switzerland, is in New Zealand for a series of chamber music tours, as well as his debut with the Symphonia.

Lev has performed all over the world. He is a laureate of numerous competitions, most notably the prestigious Naumburg competition in New York – which he won in 2015.

In 2016, he was appointed principal cellist of the Royal Danish Opera and the following year he became principal cellist of the Philharmonia Zürich – the orchestra of the Zürich Opera.

In October 2018 Lev won third prize in the Isang Yun Competition in South Korea, as well as being awarded the Unesco Creative City of Music Special Prize by that audience.

Lev is now constantly active on the international stage as a Concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

This will be Lev's second visit to New Zealand. While here in 2019, reviewer Lindis Taylor described Lev's Wellington concert with this quote: 'Asked to rank Lev's playing on a scale of 1-10, I would suggest 11”.

Lev will be performing Kabalevskey's ‘Cello Concerto No1' at the ‘Out of the Shadows' concert, at Holy Trinity Church, Tauranga. This concerto is not performed often but is a personal favourite of Lev's – and one of the reasons he is happy to be involved with the Symphonia.

Tickets $15 from Eventfinda and i-SITES, children gain free entry.