Origins & Early Life

Lionel Tertis, CBE (29 December 1876 – 22 February 1975) was an English violist. A noted teacher, he was one of the first viola players to achieve international fame. Tertis was born in West Hartlepool, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants. Tertis's first instrument was the piano, and at thirteen he left home to earn a living as a pianist.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1892 he had saved enough money to enter Trinity College of Music in London, where he had violin lessons under B.M. Carrodus, whilst continuing to learn the piano under R. W. Lewis for three intermittent terms. In 1895, after six months at Leipzig Conservatorium, Tertis entered the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London and studied the violin under Hans Wessely.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1897, whilst at the RAM, he was encouraged by the principal, Alexander Mackenzie, to take up the viola instead. Under the additional influence of Oskar Nedbal, he did so and rapidly became one of the best-known violists of his time, touring Europe and the US as a soloist. As Professor of Viola at the RAM (from 1900), he encouraged his colleagues and students to compose for the instrument, thereby greatly expanding its repertoire. In 1906, Tertis was temporarily in the famous...

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