The London Ensemble - Artistic Director

Former Principal Cellist of the European Union Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Alasdair Strange won the Associated Board Scholarship to study with Derek Simpson at the Royal Academy of Music, London. On completion of his studies, Alasdair was awarded the DipRAM, the Academy's highest award for performance, as well as the prestigious Carnegie Fellowship. Alasdair was first prize-winner in many competitions, including the Alessandro Pezze, May Mukle, Herbert Walenn, Harry Isaacs, Florence Hooten and David Martin Prizes as well as the 'Young Musician of the West'.

Alasdair's concerto appearances include Penderecki's Cello Concerto No. 2 at the Barbican Hall with the

National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain to great critical acclaim, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Alasdair Strange is privileged to have collaborated closely with the legendary composer, Gyorgy Ligeti, on his Cello Concerto for a gala performance at the Ligeti Festival, London, in the presence of the composer.

Alasdair has given numerous recitals throughout Europe with pianist Viv McLean, including appearances at the Kultur Kreis Festival, Hannover, the Southwark Festival, Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room on London's South Bank, as well as at many music societies and concert clubs throughout Great Britain.

As a chamber musician, Alasdair has performed alongside such luminary artists as Lynn Harrell, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Yuri Bashmet and Daniel Hope, and he currently performs as cellist in the Thorsen-Strange-McLean Trio with Marianne Thorsen (Leader, Nash Ensemble of London) and Viv McLean (First Prize-Winner, Barcelona International Piano Competition).

Other solo highlights include performances of the Brahms Double Concerto at the Barbican Hall, as well as concertos by Elgar, Saint-Saens, Schumann, Dvorak, Haydn D, Boccherini G and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations at venues including the Fairfield Halls, Snape Maltings Aldeburgh, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Wembley Town Hall, St. James' Piccadilly and the Royal Albert Hall. Alasdair has also appeared as a soloist at the Chichester and Dulwich Music Festivals.

As an orchestral Principal, Alasdair has worked under such illustrious conductors as Haitink, Giulini, Rostropovich, Ashkenazy, Abbado and Sir Colin Davis on extensive European tours at concert halls including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Berlin's Philharmonie, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall in London, Symphony Hall Birmingham and at the Edinburgh, Salzburg and Vienna International Festivals.

Alasdair is Artistic Consultant and concert artist at the Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden 2009/10 in Røros, Norway, with performances broadcast on Norway's national classical radio, NRK Klassisk.

Alasdair Strange is Artistic Director of the London Ensemble (www.classicalmusicians.com) and Managing Director of the London Soundtrack Orchestra. In May 2009, the orchestra performed the world premiere of Hitchcock's 'Psycho' accompanied by live strings for SKY Movies. Alasdair performs on a 1690 Ruggieri cello.

Alasdair Strange was the marvellous cellist.

Stephen Pettitt, The Times

The exacting half-tones of its difficult solo part

(Ligeti Concerto) was caught skilfully by Strange.

Paul Driver, The Sunday Times

The British artist brilliantly rendered the imaginative

and vivacious style of this Czech composer (Martinu).

Nord-Deutschland Zeitung

But Strange took a dominant role in his exchanges

with the orchestra.

Meirion Bowen, The Guardian

I suspect he will turn out to be one of

contemporary music's survivors.

Scarpia, The Independent