Peter Cropper

• Violinist

Biography

Peter Cropper: Born in Lancashire, England, he comes from a musical family; his grandfather was Leader of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and his uncle Principal viola player at the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for thirty-five years. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with David Martin, winning numerous prizes including the prize for the best final year recital. It was at the Royal Academy that he founded The Lindsays, but despite their hectic international schedule, he has given many solo recitals and performed concertos with over a dozen different orchestras. The Lindsays disbanded in July 2005, but Peter Cropper continues to perform as a soloist and chamber musician.

The first disc of the Beethoven Violin sonatas has just been released, part of the complete cycle he is recording with the pianist Martin Roscoe, with whom he has also formed a piano trio with the cellist Moray Walsh. His musical activities don't end with the violin; he often gives talks about music for the BBC and was invited to sit on the music panel of the Arts Council of Great Britain, which gave him an insight into the need to promote music as well as play it. It was this that led him to set up the International Chamber Music Festival in his home town of Sheffield, and fuelled his desire to make chamber music more approachable by encouraging artists to dress informally and to give entertaining and informative introductions to the music. The festival has now evolved into “Music in the Round”, an annual concert season presenting over 70 concerts in Sheffield and on tour around the country.

Peter remains Artistic Director of “Music in the Round” which now features the 11 piece Ensemble 360 as the resident ensemble.