Benedetti admits her love split live on air
SHE is an internationally renowned star celebrated for introducing classical music to a new generation.
And it turned out to be one of Nicola Benedetti’s many fans who put her on the spot when she was forced to reveal that her romance with a fellow musician had ended.
The 29-year-old violin virtuoso broke the news of her split from 33-year-old cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, her partner of nine years, during a live online Q&A.
The pair met while studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey but lost touch for a few years. When she was aged 19 Miss Benedetti contacted her former classmate and they soon began a relationship.
Miss Benedetti, from West Kilbride, Ayrshire, still lives in the London house she shared with German-born Mr Elschenbroich, who has moved 600 miles away to Berlin.
During the interview on the online Violin Channel ahead of a New York concert, the Scot was asked: ‘What is it like playing and touring together when you are in a relationship?’ Caught off guard, she replied: ‘Erm, well, we are no longer in a relationship, but as you can see very good friends and very close still and we do a lot of concerts together. We are very polite to each other.
‘We have just done two trio performances together, this is our third and we have concerts in the future.’
Miss Benedetti disclosed that their arguments would spill into the rehearsal room as they practised with Ukrainian pianist Alexei Grynyuk, the third member of their trio. She said: ‘Sometimes we would argue very openly and Alexei would be sitting with his head nearly inside the piano, just like, “Let me out of this room please”.’
Mr Elschenbroich said: ‘I know what it was like from the other side because I was in an ensemble with a married couple and I know how it feels when you know what the argument is about on the surface, but it isn’t just about that. There is a lot underlying. It’s always about something deeper.’