Sterling Elliott would have preferred the violin, but he arrived too late.
As the third-born child, his mother already had plans: he would join his family as the cellist in The Elliott Family String Quartet. Mum, his brother Brendon and sister Justine already had the other instruments sewn up.
To the outsider, mother Dannielle's musical plans for her family might seem a little obsessive, but having come from a rough background herself and having had opportunities open up through her discovery of the violin, she was determined to give her own children something similar.
Sterling Elliott's first public performance - on a baby cello - was at the age of three, proudly recorded by his mother.
Twenty-one years on, Elliott will make his New Zealand debut as a Guest Artist in next month's AWE (At the World’s Edge) Festival in the Queenstown Lakes.
Ahead of his arrival, Elliott spoke with RNZ Concert host Bryan Crump about growing up with The Elliott Family String Quartet, his favourite piece (Schumann's Cello Concerto) and how - as a digital native - he limits his time online to ensure he gets enough rest between performances.
At the World's Edge Festival
5-13 October
Queenstown Lakes
