Internationally acclaimed violinist Ben Norris hails from Perth, Scotland, and studied at the Royal College of Music with Yossi Zivoni and Radu Blidar after being a junior at the the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Ben has a diverse performance schedule which sees him appearing as an orchestral player, chamber musician and soloist. He is a member of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (since 2015) performing around Scotland, annually at the BBC Proms and further afield, and has enjoyed chamber music and solo outings as far away as Australia. Ben has also played extensively with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and many other ensembles around the country. On period instruments, Ben has played for Dunedin Consort, Le Cercle de l'Harmonie, Gabrieli Consort and Florilegium. Ben regularly appears as director and soloist with various ensembles including London Concertante and the Piccadilly Sinfonietta.

In his spare time Ben is a keen cook, rock climber and hillwalker, having climbed all 284 of Scotland's 3000ft mountains, the munros

Some reviews:

Cottiers Chamber Project, June 2016

"And the Norris Quartet...penetrated and exposed the heart of Shostakovich’s 13th and 14th String Quartets with such feeling and perspicacity (the best I’ve heard since the early days of the Belcea Quartet) that by 10 o’clock I was laying into [festival director] to get them back. They were stunning. No reservations." Michael Tumelty, The Herald

Schubert Rondo in A, London Concertante, December 2015

"Thanks to his profound understanding of the piece and his mathematical precision, Norris gradually disclosed the magic at its heart, clearly a revelation precious to Schubert..." The Express

Bruch Scottish Fantasy, Tayside Symphony Orchestra, June 2013

"Max Bruch’s ‘Scottish Fantasia’ for violin and orchestra...provided the soloist with the opportunity for a wonderful display of virtuosity. Ben Norris’s playing was exceptional..." Forfar Dispatch

Vivaldi and Piazzolla seasons, Ruthven Festival, June 2013

"Ben performed two versions of Spring and Summer, both of diverse form and structure, but played with equal skill and impressive technique. " Garry Fraser, The Courier

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Perth Symphony Orchestra, November 2012

"Ben's peerless technique and phenomenal articulation allowed every note and gesture to speak directly." Ian Stuart-Hunter, Perthshire Advertiser

Ensemble Amaranthos, Cambridge Handel Festival, October 2011

"The most impressive performance, however, came after the interval, with the violinist Ben Norris displaying fine virtuosity in Marin Marais’s Sonnerie de Ste-Geneviève du Mont de Paris." William Hartston, Musica Antiqua

Perth Festival of the Arts, May 2011

"His playing of Shostakovich’s Preludes was idiomatic and authoritative, while his touching and tender performance of Mozart’s little E minor Sonata...was very profound."

Michael Tumelty, The Herald

"A wonderfully rich and powerful performance."

Peter Rutterford, Perthshire Advertiser