b. 1897    d. 1972

An outstanding violinist born in Kilsyth, Scotland. He learned locally from the age of seven and then at music academy in Glasgow. After winning a scholarship to the Royal College, London, at 14 he studied under Maurice Sons, a pupil of Wieniawski and leader of the Queens Hall Orchestra and came to model his his playing on that of Fritz Kreisler.

Between 1932 and 1936 he led the Scottish Orchestra in Glasgow under Sir John Barbirolli, then was asked by Sir Thomas Beecham to lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He led several top orchestras under conductors like Beecham, Bush, Klemperer, Sargent, and Toscanini but he also worked extensively as a freelance and on radio and television. By 1952 McCallum led the London Symphony Orchestra and he joined Mantovani in 1961 as leader of his orchestra on its international tours.

He was the father of the well known actor David McCallum Jnr.

Inverness Gathering (march) / Deil amang the tailors (reel) / East Neuk of Fife (reel)

Other recordings to follow.