The Beginning of the World

Born in London, Nigel North has been playing the lute for over 50 years, since the age of 15. Teaching and playing have gone hand in hand and he was Professor of Lute at the Historical Performance Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington (USA) from 1999–2024. In July 2024 he returned to Europe, and now lives in Gent, Belgium.

Initially inspired at the age of seven by the early 60s instrumental pop group The Shadows, Nigel North studied classical music through the violin and guitar and eventually discovered his real path in life, the lute. Nigel is basically self-taught on the lute and was inspired by Michael Schäffer, Gustav Leonhardt and the Jazz duo, Tuck and Patti. The music of Bach has always been his first love in music, especially after a dream at age 12 in which Bach handed him a lute.

In 2026, North releases two new publications, Playing with Patterns on the Lute: A Study and Method for Playing Sixteenth-Century Divisions (Oxford University Press) and a new edition of the complete lute works of John Dowland (Le Luth Doré).

At LIFEM 2026, Nigel North presents his new programme, The Beginning of the World: Dances, Dumps and Divisions for lute from Tudor England. Performed on an 8-course lute by Malcolm Prior (Norwich, 2024) after Venere, c.1590, the programme comprises short pieces by some of the lauded composers of the time, including William Byrd, John Johnson and Peter Philips, alongside well-known anonymous dances.

'I was bowled over by how masterful and how musical it was. A real musical experience' – Julian Bream on Nigel North

This concert is included in the LIFEM Festival Pass and LIFEM Thursday Day Pass.