‘I’m thinking of giving up classical music’ – says top violinist Nigel Kennedy

10 March 2017, 15:46 | Updated: 31 March 2017, 17:16

Nigel Kennedy shot to fame as a classical violinist with a blockbuster recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in 1989. But now he’s planning to stop playing classical music entirely – with one exception.

Nigel Kennedy is one of the biggest names in classical music. But when he spoke to Classic FM ahead of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall (14 March), he said he was planning to focus on other genres of music:

“I’m thinking of giving up the whole of classical music except Bach. I’m going to do one or two things in the next couple of years but then devote most of my attention to other aspects of music outside classical, but Bach’s always going to be there.”

‘I’m thinking of giving up classical music’

Nigel – who lives in both the UK and Poland – also had strong words on the subject of Brexit

“No musician on the planet believes in some kind of protectionist scenario like Brexit or who would be so selfish to not want to help someone less fortunate than themselves… I’m extremely embarrassed and upset by the whole scenario.”

Here he is doing what he does best

Playing some beautiful Bach

You can see Nigel in action this Saturday, 11 March, at Birmingham Symphony Hall and on 14 March at the Royal Albert Hall