Arthur Thompson

British cellist Arthur Thompson “The Flat Cap Cellist” has built a respectable career, regularly performing at wedding venues as a soloist and with a variety of string quartets and chamber orchestras. His playing has been praised for its “astonishing range of colours and a wide variety of expressive styles”. He is an experienced recording artist, as a multi-instrumentalist, for many north-eastern singer/songwriters and has recorded a wealth of material for his own original compositions, holding a membership to the British Music Writers Association. His cello playing began at first school with state funded peripatetic teachers until his parents and teachers quickly realised that there was an innate talent and paid for Liz Maynard who studied under William Pleeth (Jacquiline Du Pre) to take on the prestigious talent. He then went on to study with Neal Skinner who taught Gay-Yee Westerhoff, co-founder of electric string quartet, ”Bond”. He then went on to win a bursary from Metro Radio which enabled him to attend The National Children’s’ Orchestra for a year before gaining a place at Chetham’s School of Music where he studied cello with Nigel Blomiley (BBC Concert Orchestra) and double bass with Ian Cockburn (Halle Orchestra). Arthur is now a licentiate to the Trinity College London and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education. A keen recital and chamber performer, he has performed Bach’s Cello Suites in a local arts festival and has recently honed his repetoire to suit a range of special occasions such as weddings and corporate events.