‘What we do is a miraculous connection to others’ - Peter Sheppard Skærved’s life lessons

I was very lucky that my first teachers believed music should be taught and experienced in connection with the other arts. My mother, Susan Sheppard, gave me my first lessons, and I then studied with Beatrix Marr. Her violin teaching was ‘joined up’ with literature, poetry and particularly drawing and painting, which are still very important to my practice today. From the age of twelve I went to the extraordinary Ralph Holmes, whose studio was full of art from all periods. His visionary playing and inspired teaching set the standard for what it means to be a musician: to be truthful. He died much too young, but I am grateful to him every day…