Lecturer in Cello

Christopher Marwood graduated from Cambridge University in 1983 and went on to study at London’s Royal Academy of Music and the Conservatorium Maastricht. Cello teachers included Florence Hooton, David Strange, Ralph Kirshbaum, William Pleeth and Radu Aldulescu. His chamber music mentor for several years was Emmanuel Hurwitz. 

In 1985, he joined the Vanbrugh Quartet and the following year the Vanbrugh won the position of Resident Quartet to RTÉ, based in Cork. Two years later the quartet won the London International String Quartet Competition and an international career quickly followed, taking in more than 2000 concerts throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Over the past thirty years, the quartet has collaborated with many of the world’s great artists and has enjoyed invitations to leading festivals and concert venues. The Vanbrugh Quartet has released over thirty CDs encompassing a wide range of repertoire, from the complete Beethoven quartets to many recordings of contemporary Irish quartets. 

Christopher also performs regularly as soloist and in other chamber music groups. He recorded his first solo CD in Moscow in 2017. He founded the West Cork Chamber Music Festival with Francis Humphrys in 1996 and remains Director of the string quartet masterclass programme. He teaches cello and chamber music at MTU Cork School of Music and at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.