Thomas Gould

Biography —

Thomas Gould is a violinist whose career embraces a number of different roles and genres. He is leader of the chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia, and former leader and founding member of Aurora Orchestra. His solo repertoire includes many contemporary works by composers he has collaborated with including Thomas Adès, Mark Bowden, Keaton Henson, Gavin Higgins, James MacMillan, Nico Muhly, Max Richter and John Woolrich.

He has a special interest in play/directing ensembles from the violin and has worked in this capacity with Kölner Kammerorchester, Orchestra of the Swan and Sinfonietta Riga, with whom he recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending on the album Live in Riga. The latter has become something of a trademark piece for Thomas, in part due to his more than twenty performances of it at London’s Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jazz has always been a keen interest for Thomas and he is fortunate to work with some of the biggest names in the UK jazz scene including Jacob Collier, Tim Garland and Gwilym Simcock, as well as Burt Bacharach, Hiromi, Brad Mehldau and Marius Neset. For five years he was the violinist in the popular swing band Man Overboard Quintet with whom he released two albums on Champs Hill Records.

Upcoming highlights include the première performances with Bruckner Orchester Linz of a new concerto written for him by Johannes Berauer, a tour of Australia with Omega Ensemble performing Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 2, and a return to Dartington International Summer School to give concerts and masterclasses.

Thomas plays on a violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1782.