Francis Kefford joins the UK-based group, following founding member Alan George’s departure in 2024
The Fitzwilliam Quartet has announced the appointment of Francis Kefford as its new violist. Kefford succeeds founding member Alan George, who left the ensemble in 2024 after 56 years in the role, and joins current members Lucy Russell, Andrew Roberts and Ursula Smith.
Australian-born violist Kefford has enjoyed a diverse musical career as a chamber musician, teacher, festival director and orchestral musician.
He studied at the Purcell School and the Royal College of Music, before moving to Toronto, Canada, to study with Steven Dann. In Canada, Kefford served as acting principal violist of the Canadian Opera Company for two seasons.
In the UK, Kefford is a frequent performer with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and he has led the viola sections of the Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, Ireland, and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.
He also performs regularly with the UK’s pre-eminent chamber orchestras, including Britten Sinfonia, Aurora Orchestra and the London Mozart Players.
Kefford is co-director of the Saronic Chamber Music Festival in Greece and has appeared in chamber music festival across Europe including Whittington International Music Festival, UK, Fejøs Festival, Denmark, and the O/Modernt Festival, Stockholm.
As an educator, Kefford is a faculty member at Zodiac Music Festival and Academy, France, where he teaches viola and chamber music.
He plays a viola by Rodolpho Fredi (Rome, 1931).
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