Paul Watkins

Paul Watkins is a Welsh cellist and conductor and served as principal cellist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he was a member of the Nash Ensemble for 16 years and subsequently joined the Emerson Quartet, experiences that provided immersion in Classical and Romantic chamber repertoire. Through his parallel conducting career, he became music director of the English Chamber Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Ulster Orchestra. In 2026, he released his first recording of Beethoven's five cello sonatas with pianist Alessio Bax on Signum Classics.