THE ACADEMY of ST OLAVE’S – Alan George

Celebrated viola player Alan George has been Musical Director at the Academy of St Olave’s since 2009.

Alan comes from Newquay, in 1968 winning an open scholarship to King’s College Cambridge, where he became one of the founder members of the world famous Fitzwilliam String Quartet, remaining as its only viola player up until September 2024; at which point he had already become the longest serving quartet player in Britain! With the FSQ he played all over Europe, North America, Southern Africa, the Middle and Far East, as well as taking part in many recordings for Decca, Linn, Divine Art and the BBC. The quartet first achieved prominence through its British and American premières of Dmitri Schostakovich’s last three quartets, the scores of which had been sent by the composer himself, having visited them in York in November 1972 to hear them play.

Alan is the author of three studies of Shostakovich’s chamber music as well as numerous articles and programme notes; he has also presented talks on BBC radio and at various festivals and concert venues throughout Britain and America. He has been tutor in viola at the Royal Northern College of Music, and visiting lecturer / examiner at many colleges and universities both in the UK and abroad. Alan is a former Musical Director of the University of York Chamber Orchestra. In 1981 he was made an Honorary Doctor of Music at Bucknell University, USA, and similarly honoured by the University of York in 2006.  Alan has been a trustee of Jessie’s Fund from its inception in 1995.

Alan joined the Academy of St Olave’s as its Director in 2009, making 2019 his tenth year with the orchestra – to go with his 50 years in the Fitzwilliam Quartet! This double association has enabled him to achieve the distinction of having performed all of Beethoven’s quartets and conducted all of his symphonies – a long time ambition finally realised in January 2019 with the Fifth Symphony.

“St Olave’s Church has always been a special place for me” says Alan, “not only because it is just around the corner from my house in Bootham Terrace, but also because it was the venue for a memorial concert for my daughter Jessica, one year after she died in 1994. The Fitzwilliam has also played there many times, but it will be a pleasure and a challenge to try to bring to the orchestra some of the fantastic experience gained from a lifetime of music making – not only with the quartet, but with some of the world’s greatest musicians and teachers.  I think we are going to have a great time together!”