Biteback Publishing has acquired Julian Lloyd Webber’s 'explosive, no-holds-barred autobiography, lifting the lid on the life of a globally renowned classical musician' which 'reveals a cut-throat world of agents, promoters, record companies, violin dealers and substance abuse'.
Olivia Beattie, Editorial Director at Biteback, acquired world rights directly from the author. Beattie said: "Having worked with Julian on his insightful book on the great Pablo Casals, everyone at Biteback was thrilled when he came back to us with this utterly candid memoir. Its flow, its lyricism, its humour and its honesty make it an incredible page-turner."
From vivid descriptions of Julian’s childhood in one of the world’s most famous musical dynasties to unfiltered stories from his collaborations with such stars as Elton John, Yehudi Menuhin, Stéphane Grappelli, Philip Glass, and his brother, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bows and Arrows reveals a cut-throat world of agents, promoters, record companies, violin dealers and substance abuse, laying bare the classical music profession as never before.
With refreshing honesty and humour, Julian recounts the break-up of three of his four marriages, his lifelong passion for ensuring that every child should have a chance to play a musical instrument and his devastation at the 2014 injury that forced him to stop playing and sell his Stradivarius cello.
This earth-shattering loss, however, led to a new calling, prompting Julian’s appointment as principal of a leading royal conservatoire and his re-emergence as a tireless champion of music education, working closely with politicians including Gordon Brown, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson. Culminating in Julian’s return to the stage for the first time in twelve years, this is a powerful story of passion, loss and a life reborn.
Julian Lloyd Webber is one of the leading musicians of our time. As a solo cellist, he played with the world’s greatest orchestras and recorded with legends including Yehudi Menuhin and Elton John. He won the Classical Brit Award in 1978 and his album Variations won a gold disc within five weeks of its release.
In 2008, he founded the UK government’s In Harmony programme, facilitating access to music for children from less privileged backgrounds. Julian was the only classical musician chosen to play at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. In 2015, following his forced retirement due to injury, he was appointed principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, a role he held for five years.
In April 2026, Julian will return to the stage for a celebratory gala at London’s Wigmore Hall to mark his 75th birthday. 2026 will also see the release of Jasmine – Julian’s first recording for twelve years, inspired by his fourteen-year-old daughter – together with a 75th birthday collection, both on Decca Records.
Lloyd Webber said: "I am delighted to continue my relationship with Biteback at this exciting moment in my life!"
Bows and Arrows will be published on 7 April 2026 as a £22 hardback, supported by a major publicity campaign.