Rob Burton: Playing it cool

When MT interviewed Rob Burton in 2018, shortly after he'd made his appearance as the second saxophonist to ever reach the finals of BBC Young Musician, the then-18-year-old said, ‘If things continue in the direction they are going, I'd be more than happy. If I can continue to give recitals and perform concertos, and people keep enjoying it, that would be great.’ At this stage, Burton had gone from thinking he'd never have any solo opportunities in his career to receiving numerous bookings following the Grand Final broadcast. Now, four rollercoaster years later, he's calling me from his apartment in central Zürich, where he is studying for a masters degree at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). ‘It's really interesting to hear that [quote back], because now doing recitals is such a normal part of my life,’ he says. ‘But every recital I do, I try not to take it for granted because I know it's such an amazing opportunity.’