My friend Benedict Cruft, who has died aged 73, was a violinist who performed around the world, including with the London Symphony Orchestra, and latterly was the dean of music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He lived and breathed music throughout his life.
We had known each other since our student days at the Royal College of Music, where Ben won the top prize for violinists at the age of 19. Born in London, he was the son of Kiki (nee McCormick) and John Cruft, a respected oboist who went on to be director of music and drama at the Arts Council.
From Westminster school, Ben went to study at the Royal College of Music in 1966, and after graduating performed in the LSO and other orchestras. He also joined the London String Quartet, led by his friend Tony Pini. In 1980 he and Katia Ross, a librarian, moved to Hong Kong. They got married there the following year, Ben having been appointed associate concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and a teacher at the Hong Kong Conservatory.
When they returned to London in 1984, he became a freelance violinist, giving recitals and taking part in recordings. Occasionally he composed music for commercials and stock library music for use by television, radio and film companies, some of which accompanied the TV series Friends.
JS Bach’s six Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin were his lifelong passion and obsession. He believed that although they were well known, they were neglected as a set in live performances. In 1987 he performed them complete across two concerts for the first time, and went on to do so more than 100 times in the UK and abroad. He also arranged several of Bach’s 48 Preludes and Fugues for string trio.
In 2003 Ben and Katia returned to Hong Kong so that he could take up the post of dean of music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and he worked there for ten years. He transformed many of the management systems at the academy and was much admired for his musical expertise, teaching and generosity as a mentor and adviser to students. More widely, he was respected for his equanimity and wisdom. In 2012 he became the fourth member of the Cruft family to be awarded a fellowship of the Royal College of Music.
Among his many interests, Ben became fascinated by Chinese art, and he loved trees and plants – styling himself as a guerrilla gardener, for he went around planting shrubs and perennials on verges and roadsides. A true epicure, in combination with Katia he was also a wonderful host, allying her superb cooking with his carefully assembled cellar of wines.
When Katia fell ill with cancer in 2013 they came back to London for her medical treatment; she died later that year. Afterwards Ben essentially retired, although he continued to do some session work.
He is survived by his stepson, Alain, two grandchildren, Gregoire and Lucas, and his brother Sebastian.
