Imagine the variety and excitement of a trip from, say, London to Boston to Beijing. Whilst we missed foreign holidays during lockdown, Richard took us on an inspiring journey from Bach to Beethoven to Boulez and beyond, which was like a magical mystery tour. We were encouraged to imagine a story unfolding as we listened to each work, and to look out for conversations between different instruments. He opened our eyes (and ears) to the personal and political background which influenced each composer’s writing. For those who associated riffs only with jazz and rock music, Richard alerted us to their use not just in one movement but uniting a whole work. Richard has a great depth of musical knowledge and the means to share it with charisma. This has influenced not only my listening ability but also the way I play my ‘cello. Thank you, Richard, for providing an invaluable service to our community at a time when many of us were isolated from friends and family, as well as live culture.
