LISS-BASED violinist Sara Deborah Timossi has won both the first prize and the audience prize at the International Competition for Baroque Violin Premio Bonporti Rovereto 2017 in Italy.

The international jury of renowned baroque violinists around president Enrico Gatti awarded the first prize for only the second time in the competition’s history since 2003.

The competition outlined a programme of repertoire from the late 17th to the mid-18th century, presented in three rounds on historic instruments, and with the requirement to perform this repertoire aware of the practices used and expected at the time of composing.

Sara said: “I’m pleased to have won the prizes and it is a great achievement.

“There has been a lot to learn and refine over the years.

“As a result of this, I now have an Italian agent and, hopefully, I might get to perform in a series of concerts across Europe, but that is still a work in progress.”

Sara, who performs as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and orchestra musician both on modern and period instruments, has lived in Liss since 2009, having left her native Germany to study in London in her late teens.

A mother of three, she has built up a performance platform in Petersfield and Liss, co-creating and directing the SouthDowns Camerata and the now annual Spirit of Music Festival, which brings world-class music to audiences and inspires and nurtures a new generation of young musicians by inviting them to perform alongside the professional performers in concert.

Sara added: “For me it is really nice to bring music into the community. It is really important to bring the music to a local audience, and preparations are already underway for next year’s Spirit of Music Festival.”

The next Spirit of Music Festival will be held from Saturday, April 28, to Sunday, May 6, 2018.

Anyone who would like more information on the Spirit of Music Festival should visit the website at: www.spiritofmusicfestival.org.uk for further details.