Dickson, Joan (vcl), 1921-1994

Joan Katharine Balfour Dickson, violoncello soloist, chamber music player and well-loved teacher, b. Edinburgh; d. London. 

She studied violoncello with Dr Ruth Waddell at the Waddell School of Music before being awarded a Sir James Caird Travelling Scholarship to study with Ivor James at the Royal College of Music in London.  Subsequently she became a student of the eminent Italian violoncellist, Mainardi, and from 1951 to 1953 served as his assistant at the Salzburg International Summer Academy of Music.   For many years she was violoncellist of the André Mangeot Quartet and was associated with the Will Smit Pianoforte Trio.  

Before returning to Edinburgh to join the New Quartet (of Edinburgh) in 1953 she was well known as a distinguished violoncellist not only in Britain but in Denmark and Germany.  She was a professor at the Royal College of Music, taught at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has many famous pupils.

The daughter of J Douglas Dickson, (god-daughter of family friend, Sir Adrian Boult) and sister of Hester, and Betty who married Reid professor Sidney Newman.

• The New Edinburgh Quartet