When did you leave Chesterton?

I left Chesterton School as it was then known in 1984

What is your current job title or field?

First Violinist in Takács Quartet. Artist-in-Residence at University of Colorado, Boulder. Author of Beethoven for a Later Age and Distant Melodies.

Did you know as a teenager which career you wanted to pursue or did you come to realise this later on?

I knew I loved playing the violin from an early age. Positive performing experiences helped confirm that I wanted to go into music. Many of those were during my Chesterton years, thanks to Roger Bond who organized memorable school concerts at school and at West Road. I enjoyed playing solos, chamber music and in orchestra. I was also was lucky enough to be part of Rex Freeman’s theatre productions. Rex and Roger set such a great example through their passion for their work and by giving great attention to the details of a production/concert.

How did you start on your career?

I studied at the Royal College of Music in London and for graduate studies at the Juilliard School in New York. During my last year at Juilliard I was lucky enough to get a chance to audition for the Takács Quartet and joined in 1993.

What do you like about your job? High points?

Working so closely with three other people and having the freedom to make our own artistic decisions. I love the music written for string quartet. We’ve made a lot of recordings over the years and I’m grateful for the results but nothing beats playing live concerts and forming connections with our audiences.

What is the first advice you would give a student wanting to follow in this direction?

Discover works of art that really excite you. It’s easier to develop a unique voice if you are working on a project that you believe in. Even if you think you are interested in one aspect of the profession, try to gain experience in many different areas – in the performing arts it is hard to know what great opportunities may come along and it’s crucial to have skills that enable you to be nimble/flexible. Perhaps most importantly, don’t let setbacks discourage you – they come with the territory. Learning how to persevere makes you a stronger artist.