NICOLA LISLE talks to the Canadian violinist James Ehnes ahead of his appearance at the Sheldonian Theatre

When James Ehnes steps forward at the Sheldonian Theatre next week to play Elgar's Violin Concerto, he will be emulating one of his childhood heroes. Elgar wrote the piece in 1910 for Fritz Kreisler, the outstanding Austrian violinist, who was an inspiration for James during his formative years in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.

"I grew up listening to a lot of old recordings, because people didn't generally travel through Brandon," he said. "So the violinists that I got to know and love were mainly through old recordings. One was Fritz Kreisler, who was also a favourite of my father and my teacher, so there was always a lot of him being played in the house."

In fact, there was always music of all kinds playing in the Ehnes household. With his father teaching the trumpet at Brandon University, and his mother running a ballet school, it was perhaps inevitable that James would pursue a musical career.

"It seemed that everyone I knew either played an instrument or was somehow involved in the arts," he recalls.

"Brandon is a small town, but it's actually something of a musical centre in that part of the world. There's a wonderful music school at Brandon University, so I was able to get this terrific training. Without that kind of training I don't know what would have become of me."

That training began shortly before James's fifth birthday, and included studying with the distinguished Canadian violinist Francis Chaplin, before going on to the Meadowmount School of Music and the Juilliard School. He graduated from the latter in 1997 after winning the Peter Mennin Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music. By then he had already served notice that he was destined to make his mark on the world stage. At the age of 11, he won the Grand Prize in Strings at the Canadian Music Competition, which he now sees as a defining moment in his career.

"I guess for my family as well as myself it was an indication that maybe I was not just special in my little town - maybe I had something special to offer on a bigger scale."

A year later, he became the youngest ever winner of the First Prize in Strings at the Canadian Music Festival, and made his solo debut at the age of 13 with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Since then, he has toured the world, performing at some of the most prestigious international venues and festivals, with many of the most renowned conductors and orchestras.

But he has never forgotten those early childhood heroes, and the qualities that inspired him.

"It was something about the sound - they had very exciting sounds. Musically speaking, they're very honest to themselves. Their playing is so specific, you wouldn't hear anyone else play like them. So even if I don't agree musically with something that they've done, it's convincing to me because they have this most beautiful sound and it has very pure intentions."

So how much of that does he carry through into his own playing?

"I think every musician tries to be as honest musically as they can. I certainly consider beauty of sound to be of the highest importance. But the sound has to excite me. It doesn't necessarily have to be lush and beautiful all the time, but if it isn't an exciting sound for me I find it very hard to get past that."

James's forthcoming appearance at the Sheldonian, with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis, is the final date of a UK tour that has included a couple of concerts in London as well as at various provincial venues.

"I think that playing the piece so many times within a short period of time, with the same conductor and the same orchestra, means that the last concert will be a very special experience for all of us.

"It's such a magnificent piece, and such a huge undertaking for the violinist - very long, extremely difficult, and emotionally overwhelming and very, very draining. I think it's the concerto that I get most tired playing."

Incredibly, the concert will be James's first visit to Oxford, and he's hoping to fit in a spot of sightseeing.

"I'm certainly very much looking forward to seeing Oxford. I've been to the UK a number of times, but never had a chance to go there, so maybe I'll have a chance to look around."

After that, James will be heading home for some performances of Dvorak's Violin Concerto, then it's back to London for a couple of concerts at the Proms, before jetting off to Germany, Italy, Canada and the US. Many might baulk at such an exhausting schedule, but James seems unfazed.

"It'll keep me out of trouble," he said.

James Ehnes will be at the Sheldonian Theatre on Friday, May 25, at 7.30pm, as part of the Music at Oxford series, with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Sir Andrew Davies. The programme also includes Elgar's Serenade for Strings and Enigma Variations. For tickets, contact 0870 7500659 or visit www.musicatoxford.com. For more information about the Philharmonia's Elgar series, visit www.philharmonia.co.uk/elgar