The violist JULIAN SHAW has given recitals and concerto performances with orchestras at festivals across France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom. As a chamber musician he has played concerts with many well-known musicians: Jaime Laredo, Gregor Piatagorsky, Olivier Charlier, Gary Karr, Philippe Entrement, Peter Katin, Sharon Robinson, Andrew Ball, Daniel Adni, José Gallardo, Alasdair Beatson, Michel Lethiec and Sylvie Gazeau…
In 1975 he was the first recipient of the « Royal Society of Arts » strings prize. His musical studies took him from the Royal College of Music, London, to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with Serge Collot and Bruno Pasquier and to Switzerland with Pasquier, Zino Francescati and Gregor Piatagorsky. He has worked with many composers who have written pieces for him and given premières of works by George Benjamin, Sir Harrison Birtwhistle, Benjamin Britten, Ronan Magill and Gordon Crosse. In addition, he has researched and given first performances of little-known works for viola by Emmanuel Moor, Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Paganini. As concerto soloist he has worked with conductors Raymond Leppard, Jacek Kaspszyk, Thomas van Haeperen and Roderick Brydon. Julian was a member of the English Chamber Orchestra and since 1982, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as solo viola with Zurich Opera. He has worked with all the great conductors of the world; Tennstedt, Solti, Barenboim, Masur, Mehta, Haitink, Muti, Welser-Most, Nagano, Harnoncourt, Rattle etc.
He has been the violist in many chamber ensembles, including the “British Chamber Ensemble” and “London Philharmonic Artists” and is a frequent member of juries for international competitions. He has recorded concerts for Radio France, Radio Suisse and many concerts for the BBC. He also recorded the complete Brandenburg Concertos with Raymond Leppard for BBC Television.
Julian is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the « Festival International de Musique de Chambre en Charente » in South-West France, founded 9 years ago by the Shaw String Trio (with his daughter Nathalie Shaw – violin and son Jacob Shaw – ‘cello).
