Since his London début at the Royal Festival Hall with Sir John Barbirolli, Rodney Friend has been internationally recognised as one of the most outstanding British violinists of his generation.

In 1964 he became the youngest leader in the history of the London Philharmonic and in 1976 he received the unique honour, for an English musician in America, to be appointed Leader of the New York Philharmonic.

He has appeared world-wide as soloist, teacher, chamber musician, director and concertmaster with such conductors as Bernstein, Barenboim, Giulini, Haitink, Solti and Mehta.

He has recorded extensively for EMI, Carlton and VOX as soloist and with the distinguished Solomon Trio. Rodney Friend is a professor and consultant at the Royal College of Music and plays a Joseph Guarnerius violin dated 1696. He joins the Jury of the "Premio Paganini" for the first time.

website: www.rodneyfriend.co.uk