William Pleeth, teacher of the legendary Jacqueline du Pré and many other internationally recognized cellists, celebrated his 80th birthday in 1996. To mark the occasion, he was filmed giving a series of eight one-hour classes at the renowned Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies in Snape, England. In the classics of the cello repertoire, he had the uncanny ability to guide and inspire talented young players. This series is the only filmed document of his extraordinary work as a teacher.