The violinist and oboeist died unexpectedly on Wednesday evening.

The news was confirmed in a statement from Sartin’s siblings Angela, James, Will and Joe, with the band also paying tribute.

“The whole band are totally devastated to have to let you all know about the passing of our beloved Paul Sartin,” Bellowhead wrote on Twitter.

“We were so privileged to share a stage with this masterful musician and good, good friend. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to his mother and the boys he was so proud of.”

The statement from Sartin’s family, posted on Thursday (September 15), read: “It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of our beloved Paul, who left us unexpectedly yesterday morning.

Acapela would like to pass on our sympathy to his family and friends. We will be in contact with all ticketholders for the Faustus concert on the 5th October soon as possible. 

Statements from Paul Sartin’s family:

The following is a statement from Angela, James, Will and Joe Sartin. “It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of our beloved Paul, who left us unexpectedly yesterday evening. We know that he was someone who brought wonderful music into your lives, and that so many of you counted him as a close and dear friend. We have lost a son and a father, and while we ask now that we are allowed to mourn Paul in private, we understand that many of you will have lovely memories that you would like to share. ” 

 And their subsequent statement read, “We know that many people are concerned about how Paul passed away, and that there has been a lot of speculation and rumour. Although we will not receive the results of the autopsy for a little while, we can confirm that he collapsed suddenly on the evening of September 14th, shortly before taking the stage at an event in Oxford. He was with his dear friend and bandmate, Saul Rose.”