Ian Hampton

Ian (Chalmers) Hampton. Cellist, b London, 13 Mar 1935, naturalized Canadian 1974. Educated at Bedales School (Hampshire), he studied cello with Joan Dickson in Edinburgh 1952-4, with William Pleeth at the GSM 1954-7, and with Paul Tortelier in Paris in 1958. He was a founding member (1959) of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and a member 1956-9 of the London SO. Hampton was the cellist (1959-65) of the Edinburgh String Quartet, taught 1965-6 at the University of California at Davis, the San Francisco Institute of the Arts, and at Sacramento State College, and was cellist of the Oakland SO and the Persinger String Trio. He moved to Vancouver in 1966 to become principal cellist 1967-73 of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and also of the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra (from 1966). In 1967 he also became a founder and cellist of the Baroque Strings (to 1988), and also of the Purcell String Quartet, remaining with the latter group until 1989. In 1968 he became founder and president of the Vancouver Cello Club. He taught cello 1970-1 at the University of British Columbia. He was a member 1978-81 of the Masterpiece Piano Trio, conductor 1978-81 of the Nanaimo Symphony Orchestra, and conductor 1978-82 of the Surrey Youth Orchestra. In 1979 Hampton became principal of the Langley Community Music School and, in 1982, principal cellist of the Vancouver Opera orchestra, both positions which he continued to hold in 1990, along with his role as principal cello of the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. In 1989 he became a member of the Festival Players Canada (with Arthur Polson, et al). He has played numerous recitals and CBC broadcasts (with Bryan Gooch, and others) and has appeared as soloist, eg, in the Britten Cello Symphony, the Rodrigo Concierto en modo galante, Morawetz' In Memoriam Martin Luther King (CBC Vancouver Orchestra), and the Elgar Cello Concerto (Vancouver SO). He feels strongly that his best work has been associated with what might be called 'musical pioneering,' eg, his work with the Purcell String Quartet and the Langley Community Music School, and that more attention needs to be paid to works by 20th-century composers. His playing is marked by sensitive musicianship, a superb tone, and a commanding technique; he is versatile, as at home in late 17th-century works as in those of later periods, although he expresses a particular fondness for pieces from the first half of the 20th century. Hampton is also an able and energetic administrator. In recognition of his contribution to Canadian new music, in 2009 Hampton was named a Canadian Music Centre ambassador.

Author Bryan N.S. Gooch

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