About Me
Winner of the 'Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music' International Scholarship in 2005, violinist Ian Watson completed his MMus Degree with Distinction under Professor Lissauer at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Scotland (2008). He works with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and Scottish Ballet Orchestra and has recorded for BBC Radio 3 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Scottish Ensemble and the 'Hebrides Ensemble'. Prior to residing in Glasgow, he held the position of ‘Associate Principal Second Violin’ with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) in 2004, and was the youngest employed member, aged 21. Ian has performed in South Africa, Mozambique, Portugal, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom (including leading the CPO for an Opera tour to Monte Carlo, 2005), and has participated in Masterclasses of Graffin, Gringolts, Goritzky, Repko, Tseitlin, Tetzlaff, Roland, Du Bois, the 'Brodsky' and 'Maggini' Quartets and the Gould Piano Trio. Ian’s duo partnership with guitarist-composer Marek Pasieczny (since 2006) has received international invitations as guest performers in festivals and concerts in England (giving masterclasses), Poland (interviewed on Polish Radio, 2008) and South Africa. They recently made their debut in the Lutoslawski Hall (broadcast live across Europe from Polish Radio), and became Laureates of the Nowa Tradycja Competition in Warsaw, 2008. South African competitions have included ATKV National Muziq (string category first prize 2003), 'Mable Quick' (first prize 2003) and 'Vrouevereneging' (first prize 2003), as well as the 'Governors' Recital Competition for strings (first prize 2007 Glasgow, Scotland) and the ‘Dunbar Gerber’ Competition for chamber music (first prize 2008 Scotland). World Premieres, RSA/Poland Premieres have included Four Prayers for violin and viola (J-H Harley 2004, South Africa), ‘Luamerava’ for solo violin (H. Hofmeyr 2000, Laureate of Queen Elizabeth Composition Competition, collaborated with composer and recorded in 2007, South Africa), ‘Red Circle’ for violin solo (C. Mackenzie 2007, Scotland), String Quartet No. 1 (M. Pasieczny 2008, Poland),‘Sketches on Philip Glass’ (Pasieczny 2007) and La Casa Donde Vive Miedo (Pasieczny 2001). Ian edits for PWM Publishing and 'www.productionsdoz.com' Publishing House, Canada. His solo appearances have included concerti by Vivaldi, Bach, Bruch, Glazunov, and Sibelius with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, 'Stellenbosch Ensemble Players, 'University of Stellenbosch' Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has recorded a number of works, including those by Ysaÿe, Kreisler, Bartok, Glazunov, Sibelius, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Ravel and Villa-Lobos.
