As a leading violinist and director of one of the world’s most prestigious festivals, she already has her work cut out.
But Nicola Benedetti’s life is about to get considerably busier as she has announced she is expecting her first child.
The 36-year-old told The Times she was feeling ‘positive’ and ‘excited’ about the pregnancy.
She said: ‘There is so much unknown. Flexibility will be the aim of the game in the next little while and plenty of support.’
The Ayrshire-born musician says that despite being due to give birth in May, she still plans to direct the Edinburgh International Festival this year.
Striking a happy note, Ayrshire-born violinist Nicola Benedetti is expecting her first baby in May
Superstar violinist Nicola Benedetti performs at the BBC Proms in 2015
Last year, Ms Benedetti became the first woman and the first Scot to be appointed director of the festival, which takes place every August.
Yesterday a spokesman for the event said: ‘Nicola is expecting a baby and everybody at the International Festival is thrilled for her.’
Ms Benedetti promised she would fulfil her role as director of the 2024 festival but she has not confirmed whether she will continue to tour after becoming a mother.
She said: ‘I’ll have to see how things go and pan out. I’ve never enjoyed playing the violin more than I have this past year.’
Ms Benedetti added that she wanted to ‘manage the ebb and flow of the next year a little bit differently’.
The Italian-Scottish violinist won the title of BBC Young Musician in 2004 when she was 16 and became the youngest ever recipient of the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2017.
She also established a music education charity called The Benedetti Foundation. In a tweet, the foundation said: ‘We are so thrilled for our founder and artistic director Nicky Benedetti who has announced she is expecting a baby in May.
Huge congratulations and much love from all of the foundation team.’
On BBC Radio Scotland series Stark Talk in 2019, Ms Benedetti spoke about having children. She said: ‘My sister’s married now and in a very kind of settled place in her life, but she’s 35, and a lot of my friends are in similar circumstances.
They live in a house with a partner and have children or are going to have children, and obviously I’m not at that point yet.’
Asked in a 2022 interview with The Times if she would like to have children, she was quoted as saying: ‘If I am fortunate enough to be able to, yes I hope so.’
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