Role

:

Performer

 

John Gardner was a British composer, conductor, and music educator who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on March 2, 1917, in Manchester, England, Gardner was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. He began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. Gardner attended the Royal Manchester College of Music, where he studied composition with Richard Hall and piano with Iso Elinson. He later continued his studies at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition with R. O. Morris and conducting with Sir Adrian Boult. Gardner also studied with the renowned composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, who had a significant influence on his musical style. In 1946, Gardner was appointed as the director of music at Morley College in London, where he remained for 15 years. During his tenure, he established the Morley College Choir, which became one of the leading amateur choirs in the country. Gardner also conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Gardner's compositions were widely performed and acclaimed during his lifetime. He wrote in a variety of genres, including orchestral works, chamber music, choral music, and operas. Some of his most notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered by the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1951, and his opera The Moon and Sixpence, which was based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Gardner was also a prolific composer of choral music, and his works in this genre are still widely performed today. His setting of the carol Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day is particularly popular and has become a staple of the Christmas choral repertoire. In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Gardner was also a respected music educator. He taught at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, and his students included the composer John Tavener and the conductor John Eliot Gardiner. Throughout his career, Gardner received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1976 and was made a Knight Bachelor in 1994. He also received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the University of Manchester and the University of Durham. Gardner continued to compose and conduct well into his later years, and his music remains an important part of the classical repertoire. He died on December 12, 2011, at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful and inspiring music.

More....