Escala, an English classical‑crossover quartet formed in London, comprised violinists Victoria Lyon and Izzy Judd, violist Stephanie Benedetti, and cellist Nastasya Hodges. The members met in 2005 while working in the string section for McFly and later performed with Jeff Wayne on the War of the Worlds tour in 2006. Their breakthrough came in 2008 when they reached the final of Britain's Got Talent, performing Karl Jenkins’ Palladio and Paul McCartney’s Live and Let Die, which attracted a Sony BMG contract worth £1.5 million. Escala released their self‑titled debut album, Escala, on 25 May 2009 under Sony BMG/Syco; the album featured covers such as "Kashmir", "Children", and "Live and Let Die", and achieved Gold certification in the United Kingdom. The group performed at high‑profile events, including the 2008 FA Community Shield, the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony, and the 250th anniversary of Handel before Queen Elizabeth II. In 2014, Escala contributed the track "Louder than Words" to Pink Floyd’s The Endless River.
