Nikos Skalkottas' life story doesn't follow the usual trajectory of struggle, recognition and success - in fact, when the Greek composer died, at the age of 46, virtually none of his 150 or so works had been published or even performed in public. But in his early years he shone as a violin prodigy, winning a scholarship to study in Berlin. Donald Macleod looks at Skalkottas' promising start, the opportunities he had and friendships he made in the cultural hub of Europe in the 1920s, and his decision to become a composer. Show less