Philip Higham enjoys a richly varied musical life: as passionate chamber musician, equally at home in concerto, duo and unaccompanied repertoire, both on gut strings and 'modern', he especially relishes playing music from the Enlightenment and the early Romantic periods; in this he is frequently and happily immersed as principal cellist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He enjoys collaborations with pianists Alasdair Beatson and Susan Tomes, violinists Erich Höbarth and Alexander Janiczek, the Navarra and Benyounes string quartets, Hebrides Ensemble, and, as concerto soloist, with Royal Northern Sinfonia, the Philharmonia, the Hallé, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Born in Edinburgh, studied at St Mary’s Music School with Ruth Beauchamp and subsequently at the RNCM with Emma Ferrand and Ralph Kirshbaum. He also enjoyed mentoring from Steven Isserlis, and was represented by YCAT between 2009 and 2014. In 2008 he became the first UK cellist to win 1st prize at the International Bach Competition in Leipzig, and followed it with major prizes in the 2009 Lutoslawski Competition and the Grand Prix Emmanuel Feuermann 2010.

Philip plays a cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore, made in 1697, and is grateful for continued support from Harriet’s Trust. He lives in Edinburgh with his partner, Kim Vaughan, and their two children.