Acclaimed for his inspirational performances and eloquent musicianship, Paul Watkins enjoys a distinguished career both as a cellist and as a conductor, and in the 2009/10 season became the first ever Music Director of the English Chamber Orchestra, and also took on the role of Principal Guest Conductor of the Ulster Orchestra.
As solo cellist he performs regularly with all the major British orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia and City of Birmingham Symphony. He has made six concerto appearances at the BBC Proms, most recently in a televised performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra recorded live by Deutsche Grammophon. Outside the UK he has performed with the Netherlands Philharmonic, Melbourne Symphony, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and the RAI National Symphony Orchestra of Turin. Forthcoming highlights in 2010/11 include his debut at Carnegie Hall performing Brahms’ Double Concerto with Daniel Hope, as well as concerto appearances with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic and BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
A dedicated chamber musician, Watkins has been a member of the Nash Ensemble since 1997. He has given solo recitals at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, South Bank Centre, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and Queens Hall, Edinburgh.
In 2009 Paul Watkins signed an exclusive contract with Chandos Records for a series of recital and concerto discs, with repertoire including Britten’s Cello Symphony and concertos by Delius, Lutoslawski and Rosza. His past recordings include the Martinu cello sonatas, Britten solo cello suites, and the concertos of Richard Rodney Bennett, Tobias Picker and Cyril Scott.
Watkins plays on a cello made by Domenico Montagnana and Matteo Goffriller in Venice, c.1730.
