Lindsay McLay is an experienced violin and viola teacher, with an extensive background in both chamber music and orchestral performance.

After completing his studies with Stephen Larsen at the University of Canterbury, Lindsay moved to Germany to study with Volker Jacobsen of the Artemis Quartet, earning a Master’s Degree in Viola Performance from the Hochschule for Music, Theatre and Media in Hannover. He considers his masterclasses with Barbara Westphal also influential to his musical development.

From 2010 to 2015 Lindsay was a member of the Lazarus Quartet. As prize-winners of the Pettman/ROSL Arts Competition, they gave a tour of the UK in 2011 before joining the class of Oliver Wille at the Institute of Chamber Music Hannover. Through their involvement there and with the ProQuartet Organisation in Paris, they received coaching from notable chamber musicians such as Rainer Schmidt, Andras Keller and Eberhard Feltz and performed throughout the UK and Europe, and in 2013 toured New Zealand with Chamber Music NZ.

Since leaving his quartet, Lindsay has worked as a freelance musician in varying ensembles and orchestras within Germany and since 2016 he has been a member of Ensemble Reflektor, whose debut album Gewaltakt was released in January 2019.

Lindsay has a passionate interest in pedagogy and has both studied under and assisted Stephen Larsen in this field. His chamber music training has included both performance-focused masterclasses from world-renowned musicians and also in-depth seminars on the workings and analysis of the string quartet art and form – a particular strength that he brings to his teaching.