English cellist, born 9 March 1939 in Sheffield to Sri Lankan parents. He joined the Arditti String Quartet in 1979 and has worked closely with several contemporary composers including Iannis Xenakis, György Ligeti, Henri Pousseur, and Luciano Berio. Brother of Druvi de Saram. Died 29 September 2024.
Rohan de Saram is one of the world’s most distinguished cellists, master of classical and modern music. He has performed concertos with the major orchestras of Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and the former Soviet Union. De Saram worked directly with Kodaly, Shostakovich, Poulenc, Walton, and more recently, with most of the world’s leading contemporary composers, including Pousseur, Xenakis, and Berio who have, amongst others, written works for him. A child prodigy, he studied with Gaspar Cassadó in Italy, Pablo Casals in Puerto Rico, and Sir John Barbirolli in London. His numerous recordings include a large body of work with the Arditti Quartet and solo repertoire from Vivaldi, through the masterworks of the ohan de Saram is one of the world’s most distinguished cellists, master of classical and modern music. He later twentieth century, to recital concerts and recent works.