Cellist Julian Metzger has an exciting multifaceted career as a chamber musician, orchestral player, soloist and teacher. This career path can be traced back to his early childhood where he first developed his passion for cello playing and music making, followed by many years of study and single-minded dedication to his craft under the influence and guidance of his teachers Ioan Davies, Stefan Popov and Raphael Wallfisch, augmented by diverse masterclasses by David Strange, Steve Doan, Yfrah Neaman, Paul Roberts and Norbert Brainin.
Apart from regular appearances in the United Kingdom, concerts have taken him throughout Europe and the Far East where delighted audiences have often praised his technically and musically exciting interpretations. Drawing on a rare depth of emotions combined with a rich palate of sound colours, Julian has become a sought-after chamber musician collaborating with eminent performers such as oboist Christopher Redgate, flautist Lisa Nelsen, violist Robert Secret, violinists Charles Sewart and Giovanni Guzzo and pianists Marco Fatichenti and Paul Turner to name but a few. These collaborations have taken place on concert platforms worldwide and at festivals such as the Buckingham Summer Festival, Beaminster Festival, Malcolm Arnold Festival, Musicfest Aberystwyth and the International CasalsFestival in El Vendrell. In 2018, Julian and his friend Marco Fatichenti ran their own festival the Elysian Music Festival for the first time.
Concerto performances with conductors such as Alexander Walker, Robert Secret, Adrian Brown, Michael Rose, Anthony Weeden and Jacques Cohen have included virtually the entire standard concerto repertoire in addition to lesser known works by Tartini, Monn, Bridge, Kabalevsky, Miaskovsky and Shostakovich.
Within the camaraderie of the orchestra Julian frequently enjoys concerts as principal and sub-principal cellist with orchestras such as the English Symphony Orchestra, the London Gala Orchestra, the Orchestra of Stowe Opera and Orchestra Pro Anima. Other orchestras he has worked with over the years have included the Northern Ballet, Brighton Philharmonic, Oxford Philharmonic, Oxford City Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra and English String Orchestra.
One important aspect of Julian’s development as a well-rounded musician has always been cello teaching and chamber music coaching, an activity that started as a teenager in his native Germany where he taught young and adult beginner students. In fact he believes that he has learned as much about cello playing from teaching as he has from practising and performing. He now teaches cello and coaches chamber music at the Purcell School, Kimbolton School, Warwick University and Bedford Girls’ School, in addition to teaching a small number of private students. For many years he has coached the cello section of the Bedfordshire County Youth Orchestra and he has given masterclasses at Wells Cathedral School, New College School, Oxford and for the Milton Keynes Music Service. Julian frequently tutors on chamber music courses at Benslow in Hitchin and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has inspired a number of his cello students to continue their studies at the Royal Northern College, Birmingham Conservatory, Leeds College and Canterbury University in order to become performers and teachers themselves.
Pianist Paul Turner is a widely experienced soloist and chamber music player renowned for his sensitive playing “...superbly partnered by Paul Turner’s sensitive and alert accompaniments...that sixth sense of timing which is the true accompanist’s particular gift” (EDP). He excels in a wide range of genres, working with artists such as Nicholas Daniel, Jack Liebeck, Caroline and Miranda Dale, Martin Owen, Joseph Shiner, Sarah Markham, Joy Farrall, Carmen Flores, Claire Rutter, Robert Burton, Philip Dukes and the Bochmann Trio.
Following a series of solo concerts in contemplation and celebration of returning to live events, and a number of livestream concerts for Benslow Music Trust (Chopin Nocturnes, Enigma14, and Peter Bussereau), Paul has been involved in some other recording projects. They include ‘Ithaka’ by Lydia Kakabadse with Clare McCaldin (divine art), Paul Carr ‘I Offer You Love’ (Stone Records) and ‘Roads to Freedom’ (a reaction to the war in Ukraine) by Anastasia Pavlyk, written for Paul. Live events include performances of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, further presentations of Ligeti’s Hommage a Brahms with the Owen Trio, a celebration of female composers with Julian Metzger and performances of the Fauré and Saint-Saëns piano quartets with the Bochmann Trio. ‘Perhaps the most soulful concert I have ever listened to in my life. Thank you!” (Buscot Park 2022).