
Robin
Ireland was born in 1954, son of viola player
Patrick Ireland and pianist Peggy Gray. He was a chorister at St Paul's
Cathedral Choir School and studied at Cambridge University and at the
Eastman
School of Music in Rochester, New York. He had a short spell as leader
of the
Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra and subsequently became a founder member
of the
Piano Quartet, Domus, which toured with its own portable concert hall
(a
geodesic dome) as well as having great success in more conventional
venues.
Robin is
well known as the violist of the Lindsay
String Quartet, with whom he played for twenty years. The Lindsays were
celebrated throughout the world for their intense and moving
performances, and
they made over fifty CDs for ASV, covering virtually all the major
string
quartet repertoire. Robin now plays with the Primrose Piano Quartet and
the
Anton Stadler piano/clarinet/viola trio, and has a Duo with the pianist
Tim
Horton, with whom he has recorded a CD of Russian music including the
Shostakovich Viola Sonata, released on the Nimbus label (CD
available from Robin). As
a soloist, he has broadcast on BBC Radio 3, performed Mozart's Sinfonia
Concertante with the Liverpool Philharmonic and the London Mozart
Players, and
has in his repertoire all the major works for viola. He specialises in
recitals
of unaccompanied Bach, transcribed for viola from the violin and cello
works.
His CD of Bach, which includes the Chaconne, is available on
Quartz. His
orchestral experience includes working as guest principal viola with
the City
of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal
Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra and Opera North.
Robin is
Senior Viola Tutor at the Birmingham
Conservatoire and also teaches at the University of Sheffield,
and on courses run by ESTA, Pro Corda and Cadenza. He is a committed
and
enthusiastic teacher, working with pupils ranging from gifted
conservatoire
students to keen amateurs. He has a rapidly growing reputation for
helping
students with problems of posture and pain when playing. He is a keen
student
of the Alexander Technique and of Chi Kung, both of which influence his
teaching.
Robin
has wide experience of chamber music
coaching and giving masterclasses. He leads composition and
improvisation
workshops, has initiated an ongoing series of viola workshops to
promote the viola and to improve the standard of viola playing,
and tutors
string orchestra workshops.
In 2005,
Robin was commissioned by the University
of Sheffield to write a string quartet for its centenary celebrations.
This
work, played by the Lindsays, features on a CD alongside Pairings
(his
three duos, for viola and cello, two violas, and violin and viola)
released on
the Meridian label. In the same year, he received funding from the Arts
Council
to collaborate with the poet Elizabeth Barrett and composed fifteen
tone poems
for solo viola which interleave with poems from her collection The
Bat
Detector (CD available from Robin).
Robin
plays on an Amati viola made in the early 1600s. He lives in Sheffield.
For more
details of Robin's teaching and other information see www.robinireland.co.uk
Robin
can be contacted on 07980 275368
ROBIN
IRELAND
TEACHER OF
VIOLA AND VIOLIN
Robin is teaching in
Birmingham, Sheffield and Rotherham (Ravenfield) and has
vacancies for viola
and violin pupils.
Lessons could be on a
monthly
basis or more often as preferred. A
trial lesson could be booked in the first
instance.
Robin also offers one-off
refresher or diagnostic lessons to amateur or professional viola and
violin
players.
Cost £40 per hour.
For full
details contact Robin on 07980 275368
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