The indefatigable Nicola Benedetti, celebrating her 38th birthday, is gearing up for the Edinburgh International Festival starting in three weeks of which she has been the first female director since 2022. Heralded as one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation, she was a child prodigy, continues to play and record prolifically to international audiences, and act as an enthusiastic advocate of classical music through her music education charity The Benedetti Foundation. She has a new Classic FM radio series ‘The Truth About Classical Music’ in which she will take listeners behind the scenes of the classical music world and is inspired by the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival theme, ‘The Truth We Seek’. In October she sets of on her first solo tour in over a decade performing at 14 venues across the UK and Ireland. And all this after just giving birth.
She was born 20 July 1987 7.40 am Irvine, Scotland, with an Italian father and an Italian-Scottish mother, and an older sister who is also a violinist. She started to play the violin aged four and at eight became the leader of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain; and later went on to win the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.
She has a Cancer Sun on the cusp of her 12th house square a confident, enthusiastic Jupiter in pro-active Aries in her far-travelled 9th house. She also has Venus Mercury in Cancer in her friendly, socially-minded 11th house. Her musical Neptune in her performing 5th house opposes Mercury and squares a North Node in Aries hooking her into the culture of the times.
Her Mars in Leo in her 12th squares Pluto on her IC giving her formidable determination, and a never-say-die approach. Her home life will also be dominated by her work ethic with Saturn there and probably was throughout her childhood. Her Uranus sitting close to her Saturn won’t make domestic contentment easier but will make her innovative and keen on effecting positive changes.
Her 10th house Taurus Moon conjunct Algol and Pholus are clearly intent on doing good by reaching out to inspire audiences and children.
Her ‘Master’ Harmonics of 11 and 22 are strong as is her genius/breakthrough 13H.
Nicola Benedetti’s Jupiter opposition Pluto on the angles of her 4th and 10th houses – Home and Career, square her Sun, is a bit awkward, suggesting some considerable hidden power struggles perhaps. Her 5th house (first child) ruler is Jupiter.
(Whole signs)
According to Rex Bills ‘The Rulership Book”, Neptune rules riolins. She has a YOD of
Mars, ruler 9th, Higher Education in violins, quincunx Neptune, vioiins, in 5th,
creativity, sextile Juno in 7th of public projection. Partnering, Juno, with her
violin to give a public performance.
Mercury, in 11th, performing before an audience, joins Neptune, violin, in 5th of
entertainment.
In numerology, 22 is the Master Number..it gives fame, strong leadership, powerful
imagineation. She has 22 Leo/Aquarius along her Asc/Dsc axis…..Leo gives her
center stage prescence…..Aquarius rules music, projected to the public via the Descendant.