Rodney Friend

Rodney Friend is an internationally acclaimed violinist and Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, where he mentors emerging chamber musicians and soloists. A former concertmaster of both the London Philharmonic and New York Philharmonic orchestras, he has performed under conductors including Bernstein, Solti, and Boulez.

His scholarly contributions include authoring The Orchestral Violinist and The Violin in 5ths, foundational texts for string pedagogy. As founder of the Friends International Violin Academy, he develops innovative online education programs.

• Notable Collaborations: Recorded nearly the entire orchestral repertoire with major orchestras
• Artistic Direction: Mendelssohn on Mull Festival, Pharos Festival (Cyprus)
• Instrument: Plays a 1679 Francesco Rugeri violin