Paul Watkins of the Nash Ensemble © Nina Large
Paul Watkins plays the cello in the Nash Ensemble
Paul Watkins of the Nash Ensemble © Nina Large
Summarise your instrument
‘The most beautiful sound, but a pain in the neck to carry around.’
Best thing about it?
‘Its enormous range.’
Worst thing about it?
‘Trying to get it on to an aeroplane.’
How often do you practise?
‘That’s classified information.’
Why did you choose the cello?
‘Because a friend of my father, who taught the cello, could hold a cigarette in his bow hand while playing, which I thought was pretty cool; although I never took up smoking.’
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Do you ever wish you played another instrument?
‘No, cello was always the one.’
Where do you sit in the Nash Ensemble?
‘We play in so many different combinations that I can sit anywhere.’
What can you hear where you sit?
‘If there is a piano – a lot of that.’
How much is your instrument worth?
‘The equivalent of a two-bedroom flat in Twickenham.’
Your favourite pieces for the cello?
‘JS Bach and Benjamin Britten’s “Suites for Solo Cello”.’
When are you playing next in London?
‘Next Wednesday [March 12] at the Wigmore Hall, when I am conducting the Nash Ensemble in a new piece by Colin Matthews called “The Island”.’
Tell us a joke about cello players
‘I can’t. I only know one and it’s too rude.’
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