Paul Watkins (cellist)

For other persons named Paul Watkins, see Paul Watkins (disambiguation).

Paul Watkins (born 1970) is a living English classical cellist. Studying cello with William Pleeth, Melissa Phelps and Johannes Goritzki, he first came to the fore by winning the string section of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1988. His five concerto appearances at The Proms include a performance of Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto at the First Night on 13th July 2007. He plays on a cello made in Paris by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume in 1846. In March 2006 he premiered a new concerto by Richard Rodney Bennett with the Philharmonia at South Bank Centre, recording it two months later.

He also conducts, winning first prize and audience prize at the 2002 Leeds Conductors' Competition, and conducting the Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and - abroad - the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Padova Chamber Orchestra, Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Norwegian Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Umeå Symphony Orchestra and the Danish Aalborg Symphony Orchestra.