26th January 2025 by

80th anniversary of the birth of Jacqueline du Pré (26 January)

Post submitted by Ella, one of our Student Experience Ambassadors

 

Jacqueline du Pré, born in Oxford in England in 1945, was a cellist who is considered as one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century. Du Pré was a young talent, having started the cello at age five and then winning Britain’s most prestigious cello award at age eleven. By twenty years old she was performing with leading orchestras worldwide, showcasing her masterful interpretations and passionate playing style.

In 1970 however, du Pré began to feel occasional weakness and loss of sensation in her limbs, as well as fatigue and depression. In 1973 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The severity of her condition forced her to stop performing in public, ultimately ending her music career.