GRIFFITH WADKIN
Principal Cello
Griff began his ‘Cello studies while at school and eventually rose to the position of Principal ‘Cello in the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra before embarking upon his degree course at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in 2014. Under the tutelage of Ulrich Heinen, Ben Davies and Eduardo Vassello, he graduated with a Performance Masters Degree with a Distinction. He also received the Phillip Handy ‘Cello Cup, the Stanley Wood Memorial Prize and the Leamington Music Club Prize. Griff has been a regular performer in the Masterclasses of Hannah Roberts, Jian Wang, and Alexander Baillie.
His keen interest in chamber music led to him taking part in the CBSO invitation to perform in the pre concert showcase of Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 59, No 2 in E minor, and in the Dvorak Piano Quintet No 2 in Symphony Hall Birmingham. His chamber music soloist performances have allowed him to play alongside Nichola Benedetti, Timothy Ridout, Roman Kosyakov and others.
Griff also has a passion for music education and outreach programmes such as the ‘ARCO Project” which delivers, via webcam, lessons to children in Africa. He also set up the ‘Virtual ‘Cello School’ with a global student enrolment and, more recently, he founded ‘Resonations’ to provide high quality classical music for concerts in schools across Leicestershire.
In 2020, Griff was appointed as the Principal ‘Cellist with The Sinfonia Stellaris.
Griff plays a Joseph Hill Violincello (1764) on generous loan from the Tomkins Tate Trust.