MEET THE CONDUCTOR
Ian Sharp
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Ian was brought up in London where he initially learned the piano. The cello – just one line at a time – proved easier to deal with. At Manchester University he developed an unexpected interest in medieval music which, many years later, he pursued at York University. Studies at the Royal Manchester College of Music led to working with orchestras in London while also participating in Baroque groups, another concentrating on very contemporary (‘squeaky gate’) music and a chamber group that performed the Quartet for the End of Time at the Wigmore Hall. He also played with Welsh National Opera and had the privilege of playing in Tristan and The Valkyrie conducted by the wonderful Reginald Goodall. Other highlights in London were Pierre Boulez, Kurt Masur, Yuri Temirkanov, Paavo Berglund…
Touring became a constraint on family life so there was a move to York where teaching became central to his working life. In addition he started an orchestral course for young people called Yorchestra, ten years later another called York Young Soloists (not exclusively designed for concerto opportunities) and eventually a string orchestra playing music from Biber to Pärt. In 2017 he moved to Fortrose to a new build eco-house and finally got the grand piano he’d always wanted – played in the privacy of his own home! His daughter has a farm in Abriachan above Loch Ness. |
