Tasmin Little

Violinist Tasmin Little’s infectious spontaneity, heartfelt phrasing, radiant tone, and technical pizzazz proved a winning combination both in the concert hall and on disc. Born in London in 1965, Little won a scholarship to the Menuhin School aged eight, and came to public attention as a string finalist in the 1982 BBC Young Musician of the Year. Following graduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, the turning point came in 1988 when she proved a natural recording artist with an EMI (now Warner) coupling of Bruch’s First Violin Concerto (1867) and the Dvořák Concerto (1879). As well as her recordings of the central repertoire, Little has made outstanding albums of English music, including neglected works by Rubbra, Delius, Finzi, Moeran, and Bridge. Her close association with Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending is enshrined on two recordings (1991, Teldec, and 2013, Chandos), and a mesmerizing televised performance at the Last Night of the Proms in 1995, all conducted by Andrew Davis. When Little retired from playing in 2020, aged 55, she was at the height of her powers, with an impressive discography of more than 40 albums. Since then, as was always her intention, she has devoted her time to nurturing the next generation of players at her alma mater, the Yehudi Menuhin School, and through various initiatives on television, radio, and online.