Garth Knox has been appointed international tutor in viola at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, UK. He will start his new position in September 2013.

Knox, who studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Frederick Riddle, is a former member of the Ensemble Intercontemporain and the Arditti Quartet. Since leaving the quartet in 1998, he has given premieres by Henze, Ligeti, Schnittke, Ferneyhough, James Dillon, George Benjamin and others. He is also known for his work as an improviser, and has recently explored and recorded contemporary repertoire for the viola d'amore.

Knox said that he wants to establish a creative viola studio at the RNCM. He added: 'Young players need to have an open and creative outlook when thinking about their future. Small ensembles, whether for Baroque, classical or contemporary music are now real possibilities for which they have to be trained. They need to be able to play in any style and be very quick learners, readers and improvisers. They also need to learn how to create their own possibilities for musical activities.'

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