Alastair Blayden was a Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music where he studied with William Pleeth. There he won all the major awards and received funding from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust for further study. He also studied at the Britten-Pears School with the Borodin Quartet and in Cologne with the Amadeus Quartet. Throughout this time he was let the ?Prince of Wales? Cello by the Linbury Trust. Alastair has developed a career both as a chamber musician and an orchestral player. He was a member of the Dante Quartet with whom he regularly performed on Radio 3. Their CD of Rubbra?s quartets was nominated for a Gramophone Award in 2002. Alastair has appeared as guest principal for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently sub-principal cello at the London Symphony Orchestra. The purchase of his cello, by Foster 1805, was made possible through further generous financial support from the Countess of Munster Trust.