The idea of Prima Volta was first established by a group of Guildhall students in 2006. We aim to break down barriers within the concert hall and invite audiences in to see how we work and take risks, LIVE on stage.

Many people are surprised to learn that many of the great composers including Bach and Mozart were as renowned at their time for their improvisations as for their written compositions. Today the situation is drastically different as improvisation is seen as the preserve of jazz musicians. Against this background, Prima Volta aim to give their audiences a unique performance experience. 

Our concerts are entirely interactive, as our performances are built around ideas given by the audience. These may take the form of fantasies or variations on themes, dance suites, or larger scale classical structures. We explore musical languages from across the centuries through to the present day. As well as providing an entertaining and engaging performance, our work is also ideally suited to educational workshops.

In 2011, we gave a number of concerts including performances at St Martin in the Fields and Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh, and our education work included a workshop with students at Trinity College of Music, who have invited us for a return visit in February 2012.


The ensemble is made up of three musicians. Simon Gilliver; Flute, Miguel Tantos; Trombone, Drew Balch; Viola. All three members studied improvisation with David Dolan at Guildhall.