The acclaimed British viola player Cecil Aronowitz was born in King William's Town, South Africa in 1918 and, prior to moving to England on an overseas music scholarship, he studied violin in Durban under the guidance of Stirling Robbins. He attended the Royal College of Music until his musical eduction was interrupted by World War II and he spent the next six years overseas serving in the army. After the war he resumed his playing but switched to the viola and then rose through the ranks to become one of the most influential and respected figures in the field of classical music.
Shortly after the war he co-founded the renowned Melos Ensemble with whom he played for many decades. Aronowitz became so highly regarded among his peers that the composer Benjamin Britten wrote many pieces with the viola player in mind, especially his church and chamber operas. Aronowitz taught viola and chamber music at the Royal College of Music for 25 years before becoming Head of Strings at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 1978 whilst performing Mozart's 'String Quartet in C Major' Aronowitz suffered a stroke and died; he was 60 years old.
