James Rhodes

James Rhodes (born 6 March 1975 in London) is a British classical pianist. Born into a middle-class Jewish family in St John's Wood, North London, he was sent to a local public school where he claims he was abused by his gym teacher. Rhodes suffered mentally, and later had a back operation. Age 7, he borrowed the CD of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto from his father's collection, although he did not progress formally beyond Grade 3 piano tuition. After moving to a local boarding school, he then, from age 13 onwards, was educated at Harrow School, where he worked with piano teacher Colin Stone. It was during this period that he entered the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, but failed to make it past the second round. In 1993, he...