Australian-born violist, Francis Jonah Kefford, has enjoyed a diverse musical career as a chamber musician, teacher, festival director and orchestral musician. He is currently the violist of the Fitzwilliam String Quartet.

He graduated from the Purcell School, London with the Guivier String Prize; then as the Jennifer and Robert Diamond Scholar at the Royal College of Music where he was awarded the Lionel Tertis and Cecil Aronowitz Prizes for Viola.

After studying in Toronto with Steven Dann, his most affecting musical influence, Francis remained in Canada for two seasons as Acting Principal Violist of the Canadian Opera Company. In the UK, Francis has led the viola sections of the Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra, Ireland, and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Francis performs regularly with the UK’s pre-eminent chamber orchestras, including Britten Sinfonia and Aurora Orchestra.

In 2007, Francis premièred Elegie – a work for viola and string orchestra by the late, great Australian composer, Peter Sculthorpe – at the International Viola Congress held that year in Adelaide, Australia.

Francis plays a viola by Rodolpho Fredi (Rome, 1931).