String tuition

Julian Metzger

Cello

German-born cellist Julian Metzger is a versatile and compelling musical voice whose career spans concerto playing, chamber music and orchestral performance. Raised in a family where music was both vocation and inheritance—his father a music teacher and choral conductor, his uncle a professional cellist—Julian began playing the cello at the age of four, forging an early and enduring relationship with the instrument.

His formative years led him from his native Bad Berleburg to England, where he studied at Wells Cathedral School under Dr Ioan Davies, former cellist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet. He continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Stefan Popov, later refining his artistry through private mentorship with Raphael Wallfisch. Along the way, musical encounters with David Strange, Steve Doane, Yfrah Neaman, Paul Roberts and Norbert Brainin further shaped his expressive depth and interpretative insight.

As a concerto soloist, Julian brings intensity, elegance and narrative clarity to the stage. He has appeared with a range of orchestras under conductors including Alexander Walker, Adrian Brown and Jacques Cohen, performing works from the central cello repertoire alongside lesser-known concertos by composers such as Tartini, Monn, Bridge, Kabalevsky and Miaskovsky. Upcoming performances include Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and Brahms’s Double Concerto.

Chamber music lies at the heart of Julian’s musical identity. He has collaborated with artists including Christopher Redgate, Lisa Nelsen, Giovanni Guzzo and Marco Fatichenti, and has appeared at festivals such as the International Casals Festival, Buckingham Summer Festival and Musicfest Aberystwyth. A committed advocate for ensemble music, he founded the Metzger Ensemble and co-founded Enigma14 and the English String Trio, exploring repertoire from intimate string works to adventurous mixed ensembles.

Alongside performing, Julian is a dedicated teacher, working across leading schools and universities and maintaining a busy private studio. Many of his students now study at major conservatoires. Rooted in lyricism and driven by curiosity, Julian Metzger continues to shape a career defined by collaboration, exploration and the evolving voice of the cello.

To find out more about tuition with Julian, get in touch via:

Martin Owen

Violin

Martin began his musical career as a classical guitarist and boy soprano before taking up the violin at the age of twelve. Within four years, he was performing as a First Violinist with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, and later gained a full scholarship to Wells Cathedral School, where he developed a lasting passion for chamber music.

He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music with Jean Harvey, Clarence Myerscough and Howard Davis, before performing across Europe with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester under renowned conductors including Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink, Neeme Järvi and Pierre Boulez.

Following a serious car accident in 1999, Martin rebuilt his playing from the ground up and went on to join the London Philharmonic Orchestra as a First Violinist. During his nine years with the orchestra, he toured internationally and recorded extensively, including on the soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Alongside his orchestral career, Martin has performed with many of the UK’s leading orchestras and opera companies, as well as in the West End production of Chicago. He continues to perform as a freelance violinist, alongside his work as a dedicated teacher and chamber musician.

To find out more about tuition with Martin, get in touch via: violin.martinowen@gmail.com