Gerald Walenn

Gerald Harman Walenn (19 November 1871 in London (England) – 29 January 1942 in Sydney (Australia)) was a British violinist and composer of classical music.

Gerald Walenn's father was a scientist and worked for many years at the Patent Office in London. His mother was musically trained, but did not studied music professionally. Nevertheless, her interest in music led to music professions of several of her children with Herbert Walenn being a cellist and professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Charles Walenn being a part of the J.C. Williamson Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, another brother became a prominent organist and Gerald Walenn together with a sister became violinists. Two other children found their way into art professions.

Gerald Walenn began playing the violin at the age of 8 under Kate Chaplin and later studied under John Rutson. He continued his violin studies at the Royal Academy of Music under Prosper Sainton and after his death under Emile Sauret.

He made his concert debut at the age of 14 with the Ballade for violin and orchestra op.16a by Moritz Moszkowski in the St James's Hall. He later performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto at Osborne House in the presence of Queen Victoria. Gerald Walenn also made extensive concert tours throughout Great Britain, the United States and Canada.

In 1903 he formed the Walenn String Quartet with Herbert Kinze (violin), James Lockyer (viola), and his brother Herbert (cello). In later years the violist position was changed to Lionel Tertis. The quartet was disbanded in 1914 due to the beginning of World War I.

In 1917 Gerald Walenn moved to Australia to follow a call for the position of a violin teacher at the Elder Conservatorium at Adelaide. Seven years later, in 1924 he took the same position at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music in Sydney and founded there the Conservatorium String Quartet with Lionel Lawson (violin), Alfred Hill (viola) and Gladstone Bell (cello).