As one of the UK’s foremost cellists of his generation, Richard May has pursued an international career as soloist and chamber musician, playing many of the major cello concertos with such orchestras as the Sinfonieorchester Basel, English Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, and BBC Philharmonic. He studied with Florence Hooton at the Royal Academy of Music in London, with Thomas Demenga at the Basel Konservatorium, and privately with William Pleeth; with András Schiff he studied chamber music. He has won the National Federation of Music Societies Award and the EMI Jacqueline du Pré Competition, in which he played Shostakovich’s Cello Sonata, reviewed in The Times as ‘simply one of the most gripping performances I have heard’. He appears worldwide, having performed at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Barbican and South Bank centres, and at festivals in Salzburg, Berlin, London, and Aldeburgh. After winning the String Category of the BBC TV Young Musician of the Year competition in 1984, he made his London debut recital at the Purcell Room, including the world premiere of Five Duos by Colin Matthews. A solo Bach recital in Switzerland won him critical acclaim for his ‘absolute perfection and virtuosity’. He also gave a televised recital for the ITV series Solo and has shared the recital stage with Nigel Kennedy. Also a highly regarded teacher, Richard May is Professor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Wells Cathedral School, and Artistic Director of Encore Music Projects International Summer School.