# Desmond Cecil

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**Desmond Cecil, CMG** (born 19 October 1941) is a Swiss violinist, British diplomat (CMG); civil nuclear adviser to the UK, Russian, French Governments, and pro bono European Arts Charity trustee/supporter.

## Early life and education

He studied at [Headington](/source/Headington) County Primary School, [Magdalen College School, Oxford](/source/Magdalen_College_School%2C_Oxford), [The Queen’s College, Oxford](/source/The_Queen%E2%80%99s_College%2C_Oxford) (MA), violin/viola with Prof. [Max Rostal](/source/Max_Rostal) in [Bern](/source/Bern), Switzerland[1] and Sascha Lasserson in London, oboe with Prof. [Joy Boughton](/source/Joy_Boughton) in London.

## Career

From 1965-70 he worked as a professional violinist/oboist in Switzerland, including as leader of the [Neuchâtel](/source/Neuch%C3%A2tel) Printemps Orchestra and violin professor at the [Herzogenbuchsee](/source/Herzogenbuchsee) State Academy. A fluent multi-linguist, from 1970-95 he was a British senior diplomat, with postings in Bonn, Geneva (Press), and Vienna (Chargé) for the [Foreign and Commonwealth Office](/source/Foreign%2C_Commonwealth_and_Development_Office). Here, he was promoted to under-secretary level and was awarded the [CMG](/source/Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) by Her Majesty Queen [Elizabeth II](/source/Elizabeth_II). From 1995 he worked in the civil nuclear industry, including as Senior Advisor to British Nuclear Fuels (now known as [Great British Energy – Nuclear](/source/Great_British_Energy_%E2%80%93_Nuclear)) on nuclear environment projects in [Russia](/source/Russia), for which he was formally thanked by the Russian government[2], Senior Vice-President/Expert Chair to [Areva](/source/Areva) (France), and on the Board of the UK [Nuclear Industry Association](/source/Nuclear_Industry_Association).[3]

From 1995 – present he has worked pro bono for arts charities,[3] including the Council of the [Royal Philharmonic Society](/source/Royal_Philharmonic_Society), the Trust/Council of the [London Philharmonic Orchestra](/source/London_Philharmonic_Orchestra),[4] the Board of Voices for Hospices, the Queen’s College Oxford Development Committee, chairing the UK Friends of the Leipzig [Mendelssohn Foundation](/source/Mendelssohn_Foundation),[5] and as International Representative of the [Gstaad Menuhin Festival](/source/Menuhin_Festival_Gstaad) (formerly known as the Menuhin Festival Gstaad)[6]. Former Chairman and Trustee of the [Athenaeum Club, London](/source/Athenaeum_Club%2C_London).

## Books published

- *A Violin by Antonio Stradivari 1724* (self-published monograph)[7]

- *The Wandering Civil Servant of Stradivarius*[8][9]

## Honours

- 1995 Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael & St. George (CMG)[10]

- 2001 Official Congratulation from Russian [Ministry of Atomic Energy](/source/Ministry_of_Atomic_Energy)

- 2012 Distinguished Friend of Oxford University Award[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Desmond Cecil: My time with violinist Max Rostal"](https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/desmond-cecil-my-time-with-violinist-max-rostal/12002.article). *The Strad*. 2021-03-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [https://pushkin-house.squarespace.com/blog/the-wandering-civil-servant-of-stradivarius](https://pushkin-house.squarespace.com/blog/the-wandering-civil-servant-of-stradivarius)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) ["Desmond Hugh Cecil"](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/DT57YLNC-BbszAqEvlCU92yAQjc/appointments). *Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Desmond Cecil CMG"](https://lpo.org.uk/people/desmond-cecil-cmg/). *London Philharmonic Orchestra*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["UK Friends of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Foundation"](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/4020994/trustees?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_organisationNumber=4020994). *Charity Commission for England and Wales*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [https://www.classical-music.uk/features/article/family-matters-at-the-2026-menuhin-festival-gstaad](https://www.classical-music.uk/features/article/family-matters-at-the-2026-menuhin-festival-gstaad)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Cecil, Desmond (2017). [*A Violin By Antonio Stradivari 1724*](https://www.thestradshop.com/store/dcecil/product/a-violin-by-antonio-stradivari-1724-limited-edition-monograph/). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9955944-0-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9955944-0-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Cecil, Desmond (2021). [*The Wandering Civil Servant of Stradivarius*](https://quartetbooks.co.uk/shop/the-wandering-civil-servant-of-stradivarius/). Quartet Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780704374812](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780704374812).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Wandering Civil Servant of Stradivarius"](https://diplomatmagazine.com/the-wandering-civil-servant-of-stradivarius). *The Diplomat*. 2021-07-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Supplement to the London Gazette"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/54255/supplement/3/data.pdf) (PDF). *London Gazette*. 1995-12-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Distinguished Friends of Oxford"](https://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/engage/distinguished-friends-of-oxford). *Oxford Alumni, University of Oxford*. 2022.

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