Antony Cooke began his musical studies at the age of six, studying cello, later theory, composition, conducting and musicology, winning several music awards in London, including a Gold Medal in the venerable London Musical Competition Festival in 1966 and the "Young Musicians '73" Award. Mr. Cooke was a protégé of the Helen Just who was both a cellist of the English String Quartet and a professor at the Royal College. Mr. Cooke studied theory and historical musicology under John Wilkinson, composition under Nadia Boulanger protégé John Lambert, and conducting under Sir Colin Davis. In London, Cooke obtained Artist Diplomas from both the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. As a young BBC soloist, Cooke was regularly featured as a recitalist and concerto soloist under conductors such as Colin Davis and Harry Blech, including appearances at the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Bath International Music Festival. In 1971, he was consequently appointed principal cellist of England's premier chamber orchestra at the time, the London Mozart Players, making Cooke the youngest principal cellist in the country.