The violinist's whole demeanour goes in with that, as she's a sparky conversationalist and extremely enthusiastic.

Now you or I might start learning a musical instrument at school or as a side hobby - I began cello at the age of eleven for instance. Incredibly, Sophie started at two! "I did Suzuki method when I was little, and when you do that you play entirely by ear, so that's what I did between the ages of about two and seven. I think that's how the ability to improvise came into it."

And on the type of tuition she received, she offers the opinion that "certainly twenty years ago, there wasn't anything like unorthodox violin teaching, so I wasn't a great pupil because I wasn't completely cut out for classical."

This raises the potential problem of a more regimented approach to musical tuition at a relatively early age. "I think definitely, technically the training with the violin is really amazing, because there's obviously things that you need. I suppose it's like learning to play tennis, you know, you need to learn the ground strokes, to lay the foundations for what you do, but at the same time I think people become kind of prisoners of reading music, and then the parameters by what people judge as good or bad are narrowed."

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Sophie met Yehudi Menuhin at the age of four, and seems to have enjoyed a prodigious childhood, both musically and academically. "I studied Russian from age twelve, my brother married a Russian girl. I used to go there in my school holidays, and that's where I learnt to DJ, in underground nuclear bunkers in St Petersburg. I think my ears were kind of pricked up by the whole DJing thing, but unfortunately I decided to sell my decks to get an accordion."

All of which proves the point regarding dangers of assumption, as Sophie feels totally at home no matter what style of music is on the agenda. Her DJ music of choice was principally drum and bass, though she sold the decks in the end "because I didn’t have the time to use them properly, and they were taking up too much room!"

Although signed to Decca Classics, Sophie's debut album takes in a diverse range of influences throughout the world, including Eastern Europe and Africa, and yet it somehow hangs together as a coherent work. "I think the unifying thing is the voice - as in the violin - and the fact that I wrote it all. Most of the record is the same players from track to track, and it feels like it was made in a short space of time with these people."

High profile guests on the album include K T Tunstall and Richard Hawley, whose contribution to Burnt By The Sun features an unusually projected vocal line. However, Solomon notes it wasn't conceived necessarily with him in mind. "No, not really, it's based on a favourite tango and Richard happened to be in the studio next door when I was laying it down, and he said he'd absolutely got to sing on it. He sings inordinately low, it's an amazing vocal!"

Discussing the reaction to her new record, Solomon's enthusiasm ignites. "It's been fantastic, and interestingly that's also been the reaction from those who really like classical music. They appreciate the fact that I am what I am; I'm not trying to be anything other than that, and also the fact that I wrote the whole album. I like to think there's something in it for everyone. There's the track Slavonic Fantasy, which uses Dvorak and has a bit of a classical aesthetic to it.

"It's definitely an eclectic mix of music but it all seems to work together. That said I do only use something if that something makes musical sense to me, I wouldn't randomly pick music. I do love that kind of Eastern European music that influences a lot of the album though, and the culture that goes with that, the accompanying beverages! But what I really wanted out of it was something that was a composite listening experience. I guess it's like a singer-songwriter album, only it just happens that the violin is my voice!"

Bearing in mind the recent history of some classical violinists being marketed rather provocatively, I wonder if Sophie is conscious of that past? "Yeah, obviously one is conscious of those things. That said the only thing we really have in common is that we're violinists. I feel my music, it's so integrally about me - it's all about me! - and I think that's a big difference too."

It seems artistic freedom is one of the greater rewards of her contract. "Yeah. I mean, it was funny - it was an ongoing process with Decca, and they had a lot of foresight with it - they've never really done that with an artist before, handed over the whole creative process."

And does she sing as well? "I do sing - kind of - but I'm not really a singer. I think people should stick to what they're good at! It's the same with the violin as well, I don't tend to play purely classical stuff. I love listening to classical music though, and I've been on a mission to listen to all the Shostakovich symphonies recently, Brahms also. Have you heard the Shostakovich Jazz Suites? They're completely awesome. I love his music, just as you think you're kind of getting it, then he says "and now I’ll surprise you with this!"

It seems Solomon won't be performing core classical repertoire, not for a while at any rate. "Well, I've really admired a lot of classical artists, but it's not like you're going to go over to John Williams and say "where are your pedals, mate!" are you?!"

And with that she's off, doubtless rehearsing for one of several upcoming live concerts, not to mention the album she has to promote. Decca's newest signing certainly has the energy and enthusiasm, along with a down to earth approach that becomes her well - and it will be very interesting to see how many classical heads she turns with her music.

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