I was born in Glasgow and, like most Scots who live abroad, am inordinately patriotic. At the age of 10, I became one of the first pupils at the Yehudi Menuhin School and when 16, I began four years of foreign study, first in Switzerland and then in Leningrad. My teachers included Joseph Szigeti and Franco Gulli. In 1976 I won 2nd prize in the Carl Flesch Competition and started a frantic life of solo playing and freelancing in London. This became even more chaotic when the Endellion Quartet started in 1979. For the first 20 years of the quartets existence I also led and directed the City of London Sinfonia, as well as guest directing many of the London chamber orchestras, including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and continuing to play as a soloist. Since resigning from CLS in 1995 life has become much calmer, but I still guest direct orchestras in Britain and abroad, play the occasional solo and am a member of the Galini Trio with my cellist wife Shuna Wilson. I have two lovely sons, Fred and Finlay, who do everything they can to avoid having anything to do with classical music. When not working, trying desperately to understand homework or making packed lunches, I like to eat too much and go to watch Stevenage Borough (a football team!).
