Prior to the concert, in an interview with Jaime Martin said: “I met Ellinor when she was 15 years old, as a student at the Reina Sofia School in Madrid, where she was a student of Zakhar Bron. Bron is one of the most famous violin teachers; great players like Vengerov or Repin studied with him. Bron heard Ellinor when she was only 10 years old and immediately accepted her in his class. I invited her to be a soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto when she was 15, and I could not believe how mature her playing was for her age. “There are many things that impress me about Ellinor, but one of the most remarkable is her capacity for concentration. Being near Ellinor on the stage, I really feel a kind of energy around her; a state of deep concentration. Her technical ability is fantastic, but she is also a great team player. She listens and interacts with the orchestra as if she is playing chamber music. I can’t wait until her first rehearsal with the RTÉ NSO!”
Michael Dervan of The Irish Times writes “D’Melon, in spite of her age, is one of those rare players who gives the impression that her command – both technical and musical – is total. Her approach was observant without being demonstrative, and she created the alluring illusion that the music was just being allowed to speak for itself. Simply fabulous.” (Full article)
Before the concert, Ellinor went on RTE Radio 1 where she did a live performance in the studio and was interviewed by Seán Rocks. Listen to the radio performance here