Cellist Julian Lloyd Webber Breaks Down In Tears – Interview On BBC Radio 3 Monday 9.45pm

In a frank, in depth interview about his life and fascinating career – Julian shares his emotional story of being forced to end his cello playing career following a nerve injury in 2014 and how he overcame the mental health issues associated with it.

In an honest no holds barred interview, Julian opens up about his devastation and the potential for depression and how he became a mentor and ambassador for young musicians, refocusing his career on music education and campaigning, along with his brother Andrew to ensure music is still an important part of the National curriculum and that funding and help is available for young musicians who wish to make Classical music their career. He also talks of family life, his wife Jiaxin and Internationally renowned Classical Cellist and their daughter Jasmine.

Julian also enthuses about some of the new wave of Classical Talent his has mentored over the years, including Esther Abrami (Sony Classical) whose forthcoming single ‘Jasmine’ was composed by Julian about the birth of his daughter and has been recorded by Esther for release on Friday 18th October 2024.

Julian Lloyd Webber – The Essay – Healing Musicians
BBC Radio 3/ BBC Sounds/ BBC online – Monday 14th October 2024 at 9.45pm (UK Time)

Kate Kennedy meets musicians who, like her, had to stop playing after injury and reshape their lives. What does being forced to fall silent mean for a musician’s relationship with their instrument?

“My name is Julian Lloyd Webber and I am an ex-cellist”. The internationally renowned performer, Julian Lloyd Webber talks for the first time in detail to Kate about the moment he realised his 40-year career could be over mid-recital: “Suddenly I lost power in my right arm – I thought I was going to drop the bow. I had never experienced anything like it – I didn’t know what was wrong or what to do. I was genuinely frightened”. Julian shares the sense of bereavement he felt after his prestigious career of four decades ended due to a herniated disc in his neck.

Over the next few weeks, Julian tried to pretend everything was normal. His manager was calling him with engagements he had always wanted to undertake, such as a performance of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto in Moscow. But the wear and tear of Julian’s performing career on his body was too much – he learned that the herniated disc was pressing on a nerve which was causing a loss of power in his arm. Doctors told him that he could have an operation, but with little guarantee of success, and with high risks attached. He had a young family at the time, so chose to sacrifice the cello. He has never played since. Julian and Jiaxin, his wife and fellow cellist, reflect on the last fateful concert they played together and how they’ve found positives in silence.

Presenter: Kate Kennedy / Producer: Erika Wright/ Production Coordinator: Elisabeth Tuohy/ Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar/ Healing Musicians is a TellTale Industries production for BBC Radio 3

Feature Image Credit: Supplied By Artist 

Julian Lloyd Webber – The Essay – Healing Musicians
BBC Radio 3/ BBC Sounds/ BBC online – Monday 14th October 2024 at 9.45pm (UK Time)

Listen Here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0023nwt

For more information visit Julian Lloyd Webber’s official website here: https://www.julianlloydwebber.com/