Kenneth Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Montgomery OBE
(born 1943, Belfast
) is a British conductor, the only child of Lily and Tom Montgomery. His upbringing was in Wandsworth Parade and he attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
. His musical studies were at the Royal College of Music
. He studied with Sir Adrian Boult
, and later continued to study conducting with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
, Sergiu Celibidache
, and Sir John Pritchard. His early conducting engagements included work at Glyndebourne Festival Opera
, as an assistant conductor, assistant choral conductor and rehearsal pianist. He later served on the conducting staff at Sadler's Wells Opera.
In 1973, Montgomery became music director of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta
. He was music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera from 1975 to 1976, and has continued with the ensemble as a guest conductor. In 1985, he became both artistic and musical director of Opera Northern Ireland. With the Ulster Orchestra
, Montgomery served as its Principal Guest Conductor, and in September 2006, the orchestra announced him as their Principal Conductor effective in September 2007, the first Belfast-born musician named as the orchestra's Principal Conductor. He concluded his principal conductorship of the Ulster Orchestra at the end of his 3-year contract in 2010.
Outside of the UK, in 1975, Montgomery was named principal conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra
, and from 1985 to 1989 held the same post with the orchestra under its newer name of the Netherlands Radio Symphony. Later, he was appointed as the director of the Dutch Radio Choir (Groot Omroepkoor). In 1991, he became director of opera studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague
. He continues to make his home in the Netherlands.
Since 1982, Montgomery has been a regular guest conductor at Santa Fe Opera
(SFO). In May 2007, Santa Fe Opera
named Montgomery its interim Music Director, succeeding Alan Gilbert
. Montgomery's tenure as interim music director concluded after the 2007 season, with the naming of Edo de Waart
as SFO's chief conductor effective 1 October 2007. The same announcement also stated that Montgomery was scheduled to continue as a guest conductor at SFO for three operas over the years 2008 to 2011.
Montgomery was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1943, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) is a British conductor, the only child of Lily and Tom Montgomery. His upbringing was in Wandsworth Parade and he attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
. His musical studies were at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
. He studied with Sir Adrian Boult
Adrian Boult
Sir Adrian Cedric Boult CH was an English conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig, Germany, with early conducting work in London for the Royal Opera House and Sergei Diaghilev's ballet company. His first prominent post was...
, and later continued to study conducting with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt was a German conductor and composer.-Early life:Born in Berlin, he studied music in Heidelberg and Münster. He was also a composition student with Franz Schreker at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, and received a doctorate in 1923.-Career:He was a repetiteur at the...
, Sergiu Celibidache
Sergiu Celibidache
- Biography :Celibidache was born in Roman, Romania, and began his studies in music with the piano, after which he studied music, philosophy and mathematics in Bucharest, Romania and then in Paris...
, and Sir John Pritchard. His early conducting engagements included work at Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Glyndebourne Festival Opera is an English opera festival held at Glyndebourne, an English country house near Lewes, in East Sussex, England.-History:...
, as an assistant conductor, assistant choral conductor and rehearsal pianist. He later served on the conducting staff at Sadler's Wells Opera.
In 1973, Montgomery became music director of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Bournemouth Sinfonietta
The Bournemouth Sinfonietta was a chamber orchestra founded in 1968 as an off-shoot of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.-Formation:The orchestra was initially conducted by George Hurst, who acted as artistic adviser, and Nicholas Braithwaite, in order to perform the classical repertoire in the...
. He was music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera from 1975 to 1976, and has continued with the ensemble as a guest conductor. In 1985, he became both artistic and musical director of Opera Northern Ireland. With the Ulster Orchestra
Ulster Orchestra
The Ulster Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Belfast, the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland. The orchestra plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall...
, Montgomery served as its Principal Guest Conductor, and in September 2006, the orchestra announced him as their Principal Conductor effective in September 2007, the first Belfast-born musician named as the orchestra's Principal Conductor. He concluded his principal conductorship of the Ulster Orchestra at the end of his 3-year contract in 2010.
Outside of the UK, in 1975, Montgomery was named principal conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra
Netherlands Radio Symphony
The Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra was a Dutch radio orchestra. It was founded in 1985 after a merger of the Promenade Orchestra and the Radio Orchestra ....
, and from 1985 to 1989 held the same post with the orchestra under its newer name of the Netherlands Radio Symphony. Later, he was appointed as the director of the Dutch Radio Choir (Groot Omroepkoor). In 1991, he became director of opera studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. He continues to make his home in the Netherlands.
Since 1982, Montgomery has been a regular guest conductor at Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
(SFO). In May 2007, Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
named Montgomery its interim Music Director, succeeding Alan Gilbert
Alan Gilbert (conductor)
Alan Gilbert is an American violinist and conductor. He is currently the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, making his debut performance as the orchestra's music director on September 16, 2009.-Early years:...
. Montgomery's tenure as interim music director concluded after the 2007 season, with the naming of Edo de Waart
Edo de Waart
Edo de Waart is a Dutch conductor, and the Music Director of both the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra....
as SFO's chief conductor effective 1 October 2007. The same announcement also stated that Montgomery was scheduled to continue as a guest conductor at SFO for three operas over the years 2008 to 2011.
Montgomery was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.