Nicola Benedetti takes time off following Queen's advice

27 August 2013, 10:17

The superstar violinist is taking a break ahead of the release of her new album, My First Decade, after being asked whether she was overworking by the Queen.

On receiving her MBE in May this year, the Queen asked if the violinist was working too hard - and now she plans to take a month off before her album hits the shelves on 23 September. It's the first time Nicola Benedetti has taken an extended break in five years.

Despite the fact she'll be on holiday, Nicola still plans to devote five hours a day to practising the violin.

"I feel more urgency in my time off than I do when I’m about to perform, as this is a golden time," she said, in an interview with The Telegraph. "Your practice can be more consistent when your deadline isn’t tomorrow."

Nicola's time off will no doubt come to an end when her new album - something of a 'greatest hits' compilation - is released. It features 12 tracks for which the star has become particularly well-known throughout her impressive career, including John Williams' Schindler's List, Pärt's Spiegel Im Spiegel, and Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending.