BackStory
Mentor Stories 2026 – Jemimah Davies
We asked our 2026 Winter Festival musicians to tell us about their musical mentors…
Jemimah Davies, violin
“One of the most influential people in my musical journey was my teacher Gwendolyn Cawdron, who taught me from 2021-2023. My previous experiences had left me almost ready to quit viola, and a musical career didn’t seem attainable. But Gwen combined nurturing with a clear plan to reinspire my ambitions. She was full of warm praise but always constructive, and realistic towards my struggles but always empathetic; showing that her positivity was not nominal, but a genuine desire to build me up. She taught me how to practice effectively and analytically, saying she was “teaching me how to teach myself”, and helped me apply for many foundational musical experiences that grew my confidence and awareness. Four years later I am starting to live out the goals she helped me aim for: studying at the Royal College of Music, and pursuing chamber music. For me, Gwen embodied the qualities that I think make a great mentor figure: the ability to make people feel empowered, but not just through empty praise and teaching how to dream big dreams, but by realistically helping to work towards them through constructive positivity, practical guidance and the facilitation of core musical experiences.”
