Since studying at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music with John White, Martin Outram has enjoyed a wide ranging career as quartet player, soloist and teacher.
In addition to his work with the Maggini Quartet, Martin appears frequently as a soloist. His repertoire embraces the major works for Viola. His programmes often include rarely heard pieces, particularly by British composers, and several works have been written for him, including concertos by Adam Gorb and David Gow. Since making his Royal Festival Hall concerto debut with the London Mozart Players, notable solo appearances have included the broadcast premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ Strathclyde Concerto No.5 with the composer conducting. Martin gave the first concert performance of Britten’s Portrait No.2 in London and on tour with Martyn Brabbins and Sinfonia 21 in Russia. He was the soloist in rare performances of the Maconchy Romanza with the Ambache Chamber Orchestra and the Dale Romance with Vernon Handley conducting. Martin gave the first European performance for seventy-five years of York Bowen’s Viola Concerto, with Ronald Corp and the New London Orchestra. He has played the Britten Lachrymae many times at home and abroad with the Britten Sinfonia and toured Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante together with Tasmin Little as fellow soloist. He has also appeared as a soloist in South America, performing in Argentina and Brazil. Recently his peformances of the Bartok Concerto and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertant with Julian Leaper have been highly acclaimed and another highlight was his world premiere performance of Stuart MacRae’s ‘Equilibrium’ for solo Viola and chamber ensemble.
Martin performs in recital with pianist Julian Rolton. Together they have performed widely throughout the UK and have recorded several discs for the Naxos and Nimbus labels. Their performances have included recitals at many international Viola congresses and Martin has served on the jury for the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition. His recording of all the music for Viola and Piano by Bax with Julian Rolton attracted a five-star review in the BBC Music Magazine and their discs of English Viola Sonatas, all the viola music of Britten and Bridge and a CD featuring the legacy of the great Scottish violist Watson Forbes have also received similar outstanding praise internationally.
Martin Outram is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, where he has been a professor since 1984. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University and Brunel University. He has given masterclasses in major music institutions in Britain, China, Sweden, Norway, Poland and America, and gives annual masterclasses in Leipzig. He plays on a very fine Viola made by Henricus Catenar in Turin in 1680.