'Her well sustained brilliance of tone, clarity of expression and dazzling technique commanded the attention of the audience like a magnet. Here, clearly, is a star in the making' (Oxford Times)

Mandhira de Saram was born in London. After completing her primary education in Sri Lanka, she was awarded a music scholarship to North London Collegiate School where she completed her secondary education. She was also a Leverhulme Scholar at the Junior Royal Academy of Music where she performed both as a violinist and pianist, also taking classes in composition and conducting. Her violin teachers have included Igor Petrushevsky, Howard Davis and Levon Chillingirian.

Mandhira graduated with first class honours from the University of Oxford with a high first in performance and was the winner of the Worcester College Arts Prize for the highest result in an arts subject. Here she was the leader of several orchestras and chamber groups including Ensemble Isis which specialised in contemporary music. She also held an Oxford Philomusica Orchestra Award and was invited to participate as lead violinist in the last Youth Music International summer school.

Working professionally as a freelance violinist, she appears frequently as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral violinist around the UK and abroad. Her repertoire is varied consisting of standard classical works as well as new and experimental repertoire often involving collaborations with contemporary composers. Some significant recent performances include a concerto (Mozart Concerto No. 5 in A Major) at the Sheldonian Theatre, duo recitals at the Holywell Music Rooms in Oxford and at various notable venues in London such as the Queen's Gate Teraace concert series and the Handel Room at the Foundling Museum, as well as a concert tour of her country of origin, Sri Lanka. She also gave a recital of unaccompanied violin music at the Garden Court Barristers' Chambers of Lincoln's Inn in London and has just returned from Hong Kong, China and Japan, where she appeared as a Crystal Headline Artist.

Mandhira hopes to pursue her career as a performer as well as teaching privately.