Adrian Shepherd, born on April 7, 1939, in Essex, England, was a British cellist and conductor. He studied cello with William Pleeth at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Shepherd began his career as principal cello with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for two decades and also served as professor of cello at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 1970, he founded the modern-instrument ensemble Cantilena, serving as its artistic director and conductor until his death. Recordings include Six Symphonies after Ovid’s Metamorphoses (1987) and Symphonies, Vol. 4: Nos. 1–5 (1989). Shepherd was also a director of the Cantilena Festival on Islay each July. He passed away on July 24, 2013.
