I am looking forward to my return to the Erin Arts Centre, Isle of Man this week (6 – 13 April) for the XIII Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition. I will be chairing the jury with distinguished violists William Coleman, Carol Rodland, Danusha Waskiewicz and  Mikhail Zemtsov. I look forward to seeing the Tertis Foundation’s Advisory Committee, Sarah-Jane Bradley, Louise Lansdown, Martin Outram and Tully Potter. As ever, the week will be action packed thanks to the organisation skills of John Bethell and the Erin Arts Centre – masterclasses, recitals, seminars and interviews. And for me it will be an added bonus that my wife, Jane Salmon (cello) and colleague Simon Blendis (violin), will perform string trios with the leading contestants as part of the competition. They will be joined by pianist Robert Markham for a concert of piano trios on Thursday 11 April.

Lionel Tertis (1876 – 1975)

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