Nowadays, you’re not just a violinist, you’re a writer, broadcaster and supporter of a range of humanitarian causes. Might you ever have chosen a different career path?

I don’t think so. Music defines my day from morning till night. I’ve been performing music around the world for over 25 years. I also write about, present and curate music on a variety of mediums, from books to television, from radio to social media. The violin gives me the chance to share the thoughts and emotions of the greatest composers who ever lived. And if I choose to play, write, broadcast, programme or present, it’s always because I believe there is some form of great music out there which needs to be communicated, somehow. Music is communication, at least for me.

You have a reputation for thinking outside the box, especially with programming. Is that ever a conscious choice?

I have always tried to tell stories with my programming. For my first recording back in 1999, on Nimbus Records, I combined the Concerti of Schnittke, Takemitsu and Weill. I had been privileged to work with the first two of those composers, and thought I would try and build a concept...