The British violist was co-principal viola with the orchestra for nearly 30 years, during which he performed with notable conductors and on renowned film scores
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has announced the death of its former co-principal viola, Brian Clarke, aged 92. Clarke joined the LSO in 1970, where he remained for nearly 30 years until his retirement.
Clarke was born in 1933 in Rotherham, Yorkshire, where he began violin lessons at the age of eleven. Following the Second World War, he spent his National Service as a violinist for the Royal Artillery Orchestra, and a clarinetist for the Marching Band, which performed at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
He attended the Guildhall School of Music after National Service, where he studied with Nannie Jamieson, who persuaded him to switch from violin to viola. During his studies, he was invited to play with the Bath Festival Orchestra, which was founded by Yehudi Menuhin. Menuhin mentored Clarke during this time, advising him on works, technique, as well as providing other valuable insights.
Following his time at Guildhall, Clarke won a scholarship to study in Bern, Switzerland, with Max Rostal. He returned to London in 1963 after his studies, and joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). He performed and toured with the LPO for seven years, which included seven seasons with the Glyndebourne Opera Festival.
Clarke then joined the LSO in 1970 as co-principal violist. During his tenure of almost 30 years, Clarke worked with conductors including Andre Previn, Pierre Boulez, Claudio Abbado and Leonard Bernstein, playing a vast range of orchestral repertoire. He also performed on the soundtracks to many of John Williams’s film scores, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman and E.T.
Read: Obituary: violist Karen Ritscher (1952-2025)
Read: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s long-time principal viola departs
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