Praised for the ‘elegance of his technique, overall sound and natural poeticism’ (Strad Magazine), Maxim Calver made his concerto debut with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Symphony Hall, Birmingham as part of the Grand Final of the BBC Young Musician Competition 2018. In high demand as a soloist across the UK and Europe, in October 2021 Maxim made his European Concerto Debut in the Hamburg Elbphil-harmonie (Grosse Saal), where he performed Schumann’s Cello Concerto.
Maxim has performed as soloist in many other leading venues across the UK and Europe, including Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, Kulturcasino Bern and the Apex, Bury St. Edmunds. He has recently performed as concerto soloist with the Bath, Stockport, Ipswich, Maidstone and Young Musician Symphony Orchestras, the Orpheus Sinfonia and Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra amongst many others. Last seasons recital highlights include appearances at the Menuhin Hall, Norwich Chapel Concert Series, St. James’ Guernsey and others. In 2022 he was selected as a Countess of Munster Recital Scheme Artist for the 2023/24 season.
His upcoming highlights include a wide variety of solo and chamber concerts with venues including Vienna Musikverein (Brahms-saal), Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room and a return to Hamburg Elbphil-harmonie (Grosse Saal). He will perform recitals across the UK including a debut recital at the Kings Lynn Festival and his upcoming concerto performances include performances both Elgar and Shostakovich cello concertos.
Originally from Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk, Maxim started the cello at the age of 4 with Maja Passchier before moving to the Yehudi Menuhin School to study with Thomas Carroll aged just 8 years old. He currently studies at the Royal College of Music with Professor Melissa Phelps, where he is proud to be an ABRSM Scholar for his postgraduate studies. He has received masterclasses from many of the worlds leading cellists including Heinrich Schiff, Guy Johnston, Julian Lloyd Webber, Paul Katz and most recently with Gary Hoffman as an ‘active participant’ at the Kronberg Academy cello masterclasses and with Steven Doane at the International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Cornwall.
A passionate chamber musician, Maxim has appeared at many festivals across the UK and Europe, including the International Pau Casals Festival in El Vendrell, Klosters Winter Music Festival, Lewes Chamber Music Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Stamford International Music Festival. He has also appeared as a chamber musician in leading venues across Europe including St. Johns Smith Square, Wigmore Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin (Grosse Saal) and a live radio broadcast from The Concert-gebouw, Amsterdam.
Maxim is extremely grateful to have received support from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Drake Calleja Trust, Hattori Foundation and the Young Classical Artists Trust for their generous support in their aftercare scheme for BBC Young Musician finalists. Maxim plays an Alberto Aloyisius Blanchi cello, dated 1906.