Sam was born into a musical environment and took up the ‘cello at the age of five. He studied with David Kenedy and Natalia Pavlutskaya, winning the ‘John Barbirolli Memorial Prize for ‘Cello’ at the Trinity College of Music. On hearing Sam perform in a chamber music competition, Siegmund Nissel of the Amadeus Quartet described him as ‘an excellent ‘cellist who provides the ensemble with harmonic logic and rhythmic energy!
As a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra of Switzerland for several years Sam had the opportunity to perform with artists such as Mischa Maisky, Maxim Vengerov and Gautier Capuçon. He was a member of the Southbank Sinfonia, and in 2008 moved to Chile to become Co-Principal ‘Cellist in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago.
He has taught dozens of students over the years in one of Chile’s most successful youth music programmes as well as performing as soloist, chamber musician and electric ‘cellist in a rock band.