Tom Pickles
British Cellist Tom Pickles works internationally as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, teacher and recording artist.
His performances have been described as "scintillating playing... a real joy" (Leamington Courier) and "A performance of real poetry... he seemed to be really inside the music" (Delius Society Journal).
He has appeared as soloist in concertos by Haydn, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and the Brahms Double Concerto. Awards and accolades have included the Delius Society Prize, Leamington Music Prize and the Birmingham Chamber Music Society Sylvia Cleaver prize.
As a recitalist, he has appeared throughout the UK in collaboration with the award-winning Russian pianist Roman Kosyakov. Overseas performances have included engagements in Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, and the Netherlands. As cellist of the 2018-19 BCMG NEXT study programme, he received coaching from Brian Ferneyhough, Rebecca Saunders and Ensemble Court Circuit, and was broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
A committed music educator, Tom has engaged in a variety of teaching projects. For three years he taught cello, piano and chamber music at Sheffield Music Academy in his home city. He has also taught for Birmingham Music Service and was Cello Tutor for the Birmingham Schools' Symphony Orchestra. He was part of outreach projects throughout England as a member of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's LEAP Ensemble, and was invited as a guest cello tutor at the 2019 Pienza International Music Festival in Tuscany, Italy. More information about Tom's teaching work can be found here.
Tom is also in demand as a recording artist and session musician, working in genres ranging from folk and electronic pop to rap, and for producers such as Mick Lister and Ivor Novello award-winner Peter Kirtley. For an overview of Tom's recording projects, click here.
His postgraduate studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire were supported by the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the Craxton Memorial Award, Help Musicians UK and the Sheffield Church Burgesses Educational Trust. He previously read music at Goldsmiths, University of London, graduating with honours, and was a student at St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh, where he won chamber music, choral and composition awards, and the school's concerto competition.
