Julian Lloyd Webber has said he “was left questioning his sense of being” after a herniated disc in his neck meant he was unable to play the cello.

Julian Lloyd Webber has said he “was left questioning his sense of being” after a herniated disc in his neck meant he was unable to play the cello.
The 71-year-old, who has worked with the likes of Elton John, appeared on GB News to tell Michael Portillo he was creating opportunities for the next generation of musicians.
He said: “The program started really through lockdown. I was aware how hard musicians practice, sometimes six- to-seven hours a day. And I thought that the young musicians who were starting out were just having a terrible time because there was suddenly no outlet for their talents. And, financially, they were suddenly making no money. So I went to classic FM with the idea of focusing on one programme on musicians under 30, who maybe just made their first recording, and they went for it.
“I think people sometimes don’t realise how selfless actually a lot of young classical musicians are because it’s not something you go into thinking you’re going to make lots of money.
“I mean on very rare occasions that happens, but basically, I think that they do it for the love of the music, and because they want to bring it to people. So suddenly, when you can’t, it’s quite a horrible thing. I experienced that for myself when I had to stop playing. It was when I had a herniated disc in my neck, and it was a very sudden thing, really, and then it makes you question your whole being, your whole sense of who you are, what you’re doing. And I just felt, well, I had a fantastic 40 years of playing, but there’s one starting out, didn’t have that opportunity.”
While on the show the Londoner also spoke about what fans can expect to see from him next.
Asked what his advice to aspiring musicians would be, Mr Webber said: “I think music can bring something very special into your life, especially in these times. We saw that in lockdown where people listened to classical music more. It can be a huge solace. It can inspire you. It’s a wonderful thing.”