‘Kennedy's visits delight us all, committed fans and allegedly dispassionate observers alike: he is a born giver, a rare character who enjoys himself in the practice of his art.’ The Age

Renowned punk violinist Nigel Kennedy returns to Australia.

Australian audiences will be treated to a diverse mix of compositions, skillfully juxtaposed throughout the concert, which roam through Bach concertos to Kennedy’s own arrangements of the expressive jazz of Duke Ellington for violin, orchestra and his own ensemble.

Equally known for his irreverent, cheeky personality and disheveled dress‐sense, Nigel Kennedy’s virtuosic technique, unique talent and mass appeal have brought fresh perspectives to both classical and contemporary repertoire. His multi‐award‐winning discography is extensive, with releases that range from Vivaldi and Elgar to improvisational recordings of Jimi Hendrix compositions. His most recent release through EMI Classics, A Very Nice Album, marks his boldest excursion into jazz so far and was recorded with his group, 'The Nigel Kennedy Quintet'.

Despite being pumped full of classical music from an early age, Nigel Kennedy has always had an instinct for playing jazz. Indeed, it was while he was honing his classical violin skills at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Surrey that a visit from jazz fiddler Stephane Grappelli opened his ears to the instrument’s wider potential.

“Grappelli came to the school when I was 11 or 12, and that really turned me on to the possibilities of the violin in improvised forms of music,” he recalled.

At 16, he took up Grappelli’s invitation to perform with him at Carnegie Hall, despite warnings from his Juillard teacher, Dorothy DeLay about the perils of playing jazz on his future classical career. Yet despite this, Kennedy has carved out a hugely successful career that is uniquely his own.

Nigel Kennedy is a passionate Aston Villa fan and attends as many games as his schedule allows. He has one son, is married to Polish lawyer, Agnieszka, and they divide their time between homes in London and Krakow. In September 2002 Nigel Kennedy was appointed Artistic Director of the Polish Chamber Orchestra, a role Kennedy's teacher and mentor, the late Lord Menuhin, once held.