Richard Ireland was a member of the Chilingirian Quartet, one of the world’s most celebrated and widely travelled ensembles.
London-born into a family of string quartet players (his father Patrick was in the Allegri Quartet, and his brother Robin in the Lindsays), Richard studied with Eli Goren and Shmuel Ashkenasi, both eminent quartet leaders.
Richard was Teaching Assistant to Shmuel Ashkenasi in the USA for three years. On return to the UK he was professor of violin and chamber music at the Royal Northern College of Music for thirteen years, and taught chamber music at the Royal College of Music. He is much sought after as a chamber music coach and teacher, and regularly gives masterclasses at the music colleges and specialist schools in the UK as well as abroad.
He is on the jury for international competitions such as the upcoming Franz Schubert and Modern Music competition in Graz 2012, and for Award bodies such as the Musicians Benevolent Fund.
In 2010 Richard created and is now Artistic Director of ChamberStudio.
