Ben Davies

Ben Davies serves as Cello Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, and maintains an active dual career as Principal Cello of the English Touring Opera since 2000. He also teaches at Royal Holloway University of London and the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music.

Education background:

• University of Manchester
• Royal Academy of Music (postgraduate studies in cello under Derek Simpson)

Davies specializes in cello performance and chamber music, combining pedagogical excellence with extensive freelance performance experience. His career spans orchestral work with Glyndebourne on Tour and Garsington Opera, international tours with Shirley Bassey (including Glastonbury 2007) and Peter Gabriel, plus West End theatre and film sessions. He prepares students for conservatoire entrance through technical mastery and artistic development.

Professional recognition:

• Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM), 2012

As an educator, Davies has mentored students for UK conservatoire entrance since the 1990s, including BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016 Sheku Kanneh Mason. His teaching philosophy integrates decades of professional performance experience across diverse musical genres and settings.

Davies remains actively engaged in performance, currently with English Touring Opera and previously with the Rosell Quartet (1990-1995), London Mozart Players, and BBC Concert Orchestra, maintaining a distinctive presence across classical, theatrical, and popular music spheres.