The Royal Academy of Music has named the Leonkoro Quartet as the recipients of the 2026-2029 Nina Drucker Quartet Fellowship.
The fellowship supports promising young quartets in the early stages of their careers and aims to help ensembles function at the highest professional level while contributing to the Academy’s community. It is named for Nina Drucker, a former Junior Academy piano student who supported the institution with a gift in her will.
As the 2026-2029 fellows, the Leonkoro Quartet, which consists of violinists Jonathan Schwarz and Emiri Kakiuchi, violist Mayu Konoe, and cellist Lukas Schwarz, will have access to performance opportunities both within the academy and outside of it. They will also coach and perform alongside student groups.
“We’re incredibly grateful to have been selected for the Nina Drucker Fellowship over the next three years!” say the quartet’s members. “London has been a starting point for our international career and this partnership will enrich our connection to this wonderful city even more. We are very excited to share our passion and love for chamber music with the ensembles of the Academy.”
The Leonkoro Quartet has won top prizes at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition and the Concours International de Quatuor à Bordeaux. The group has been a recipient of awards such as the Jürgen Ponto Foundation Music Prize, the MERITO String Quartet Award, the Concertgebouw’s Young Talent Award, and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. The ensemble served as BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists and is currently a Wigmore Hall Associate Artist. They have released albums on the Mirare and Alpha Classics labels.
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