The popular Georgian-born violinist Lisa Batiashvili is in demand with all the world’s leading Orchestras. Named ‘Musical America’s’ 2015 Instrumentalist of the Year, she has been artist-in-residence with the New York Philharmonic and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich among others.

Last Summer she ‘stole the show’ when the Philadelphia Orchestra played two concerts on the last leg of its European Tour at the Royal Festival Hall. When Lisa joined the distinguished orchestra for Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto, Telegraph critic John Allison described it as “a performance better than any I have ever heard of this work – indeed a performance that must have left many wondering whether they had ever heard the violin quite so mesmerisingly played”.

She returned to the Royal Festival Hall last week with the London Philharmonic Orchestra as part of the SHAKESPEARE 400 series, celebrating the Bard’s influence on four centuries of music and also finding a few moments to sign my sketch.