My auntie was a piano teacher and suggested I play an instrument, so when I was about four, I was taken along to the Sydney Conservatorium to audition for Hiroko Primrose, and she took me on.

At school, the violin took me to various places. In year six, I was part of a select group invited to attend a Suzuki conference in Matsumoto in Japan to meet Dr Suzuki. Then I got a scholarship to a high school, but at the age of about 15, I’d had enough and stopped for several years.

Matt Bruce. Photo © Keith Saunders

I went to Sydney University and did an arts course in computer science, education, psychology and politics. Then I ran into an old teacher of mine who said, “What are you doing? You should be playing the violin.” So, I went back and auditioned for the Con and studied with a great teacher there, Janet Davies.

In my second year, a colleague who was really interested in period instruments said, “There’s this guy called Paul, and he’s running a Baroque chamber music course; do you want to come along?” I...