John Harding

John Harding Hon DMus (born 1950) is an internationally renowned violinist. He has travelled the world as a soloist, teacher, concertmaster, chamber musician, conductor and recording artist. Early life and education John Phillips Harding was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1951. He began his secondary schooling was at Newcastle Boys' High School and studied violin, piano, bassoon and theory at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. In 1962 he moved to Sydney, where he completed his secondary schooling at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School and studied violin with Robert Pikler. Career Harding was invited in 1972 to study conducting with David Zinman in the United States whilst continuing his violin studies with Joseph Silverstein. He was assistant concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic (1974–1976). He was awarded the Albert Spalding Prize for the most outstanding instrumentalist at Tanglewood in 1975. He then gained a position as first violin with the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and studied conducting with James Levine (1976–1978).