Biography

Praised for his "full-blooded commitment" and "delicious dancing grace" (The Telegraph), Leo Popplewell is much in demand as a chamber musician, recitalist and orchestral principal.  
 

He was the founding cellist of the award-winning Mithras Trio, who shot to international recognition winning first prize at the 10th Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition in 2019. That year they were also first prize winners at the 67th Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition, Cavatina Intercollegiate Chamber Music Competition and Royal Philharmonic Society Henderson Award. They are alumni of the Kirckman Concert Society, Countess of Munster Trust Recital Scheme, and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists Scheme. Their Wigmore Hall debut was hailed in The Arts Desk as an "exhilarating, highly-toned" performance and their debut album, ‘EROS’, was released on the Linn label in November 2023 to universal critical acclaim. In 2024 they were recipients of a prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, and their second album will be released in 2026.

 

He was appointed co-principal cellist with the London Mozart Players in 2022, and plays regularly as a guest principal with orchestras across the UK, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and The Hallé.

 

He read music at Clare College, Cambridge before completing his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Louise Hopkins. His studies were generously supported by awards from the Guildhall School, Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Help Musicians UK, Coro Nuovo, and the Craxton Memorial Trust.