Biography

Felix Schmidt started having cello lessons when he was five years old at the Wurzburger Musik Hochschule in Germany. Two years later he had the great fortune to play for the French Cellist Maurice Gendron who took him on as his youngest ever pupil. He later came to England to study with him at the Yehudi Menuhin School with a full scholarship, and then at the Paris Conservatoire. Felix Schmidt went on to study with William Pleeth in London and latterly worked with Mstislav Rostropovich.

Felix Schmidt gave recitals and took part in many chamber music concerts in European festivals with Yehudi Menuhin, Lily Laskine, Martha Argerich and Sir George Solti. Felix Schmidt has given recitals throughout Europe and the Far East with his wife the pianist Annette Cole and has appeared as soloist with most of the major British as well as European orchestras. He has broadcast on TV and radio networks in over nine countries including a performance of Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations with the Central Philharmonic of China, broadcast live to an audience of over 200 million TV viewers.

Highlights of his career include performances of the Brahms Double Concerto with Yehudi Menuhin in Berlin and Edinburgh, as well as a performance of Dutilleux's "Tout d'un Monde Lointain" for the Royal Philharmonic Society with the LPO conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier.

His recordings both as soloist and with the Trio Zingara include Beethovens Triple Concerto & Boccherini G major Cello Concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra & Edward Heath, the Elgar Cello Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rafael Frubeck de Burgos, a cello and piano recital disc with Annette Cole as well as numerous recordings with the Trio Zingara of which their Beethoven "Archduke Trio" was nominated for a Gramophone award.

Felix Schmidt is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has a busy schedule of private pupils. He lives in North London with his wife Annette Cole and son Gordon. Felix was appointed an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2010.