Sydney Manowitz

Unlike many musicians, Sydney Manowitz's parents actively encouraged him to seek a musical career. His progress was such that at the age of 13 he played Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and the Beethoven F major Romance with the London Symphony Orchestra. Further study took him to the Julliard School of Music in New York after which he returned to London to join the 'army' of freelance musicians working in that city.
His many engagements have varied from participating in the sound track orchestra for a James Bond film to taking part in Mozart recordings at the Abbey Road studios; each as a player in the English Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Barenboim as soloist-director.
As the violinist in the Pierrot Players he has helped present the premieres of works by Peter Maxwell Davies and Birtwistle. More recent first performances have explored the contemporary music of Judith Whitaker, Anthony Ritchie and Gillian Whitehead.
During a period in Canada, Sydney performed as Concertmaster of the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra and Associate Concertmaster of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Sydney has issued two unaccompanied recordings - one devoted exclusively to J.S.Bach, the other of rarely heard Baroque composers.
He was lecturer in violin at the University of Otago, and has been Concertmaster of the Southern Sinfonia since 1994. The violin he plays is a fine example of Nicolas Lupot, made in 1805 in Paris.