Clive Greensmith
Cello
Clive Greensmith was the principal cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and was the cellist of the renowned Tokyo String Quartet for 15 years, from 1999 until 2013. Greensmith has collaborated with international artists, such as András Schiff, Pinchas Zukerman, Leon Fleisher, Lynn Harrell, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Alicia de Larrocha, and Emanuel Ax. Greensmith has given guest performances at prominent festivals worldwide. In North America, he has performed at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Music at Menlo, Marlboro Music Festival, La Jolla SummerFest, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Ravinia Festival. Internationally, he has appeared at the Salzburg Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
As a soloist, Mr. Greensmith has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and the RAI Orchestra of Rome, among others. At the age of 20, Mr. Greensmith came to the music world’s attention during an internationally televised broadcast of a BBC master class series hosted by legendary cellist Paul Tortelier. In 1986, Mr. Greensmith made his concerto debut with the London Symphony Orchestra and went on to be the first-prize winner in the Sergio Lorenzi Chamber Music Competition in Trieste, Italy, and first-prize winner in the Caltanisetta Duo competition. Most notably, as a major prizewinner in the first-ever Premio Stradivari held in Cremona, Italy, in 1991, he was launched into a series of major recital and concerto appearances throughout Europe. He is a founding member of the Montrose Trio with pianist Jon Kimura Parker and violinist Martin Beaver.
