This chat was recorded at the Classic Violin Olympus in Dubai, talking with jury member Marios Papadopoulos. Marios is a conductor and pianist who founded the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998.

Founding an orchestra is no easy thing, so I was really interested to hear the journey from idea to an orchestra performing 40 concerts a year. With a lot changing since 1998, I was also fascinated to hear how the orchestra has adapted over the years.

We also talked about how the role of musicians has changed over the years, and Marios’ thoughts on the skills that soloists need to thrive.