Douglas Boyd
Encyclopedia
Douglas Boyd is a British oboist
and conductor
. He studied oboe at the Royal Academy of Music
, London, as a pupil of Janet Craxton
. He later was a student with Maurice Bourgue in Paris. In 1984 he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions which led to his New York City recital debut at Carnegie Hall
.
Boyd was one of the founding members of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe
(COE), and served as its principal oboist from 1981 to 2002. During his time with the COE, he developed an interest in conducting, and counted as his first conducting mentors Claudio Abbado
and Nikolaus Harnoncourt
. He also had guidance from Paavo Berglund
and Sir Colin Davis
. In 2006, Boyd ceased performing on the oboe to focus full-time on his conducting career.
In 2001, Boyd became music director of the Manchester Camerata
, his first major conducting post. He has conducted several recordings with the Manchester Camerata for the Avie label, including music of Beethoven, Mozart and Mahler. Boyd concluded his Manchester tenure after the 2010-2011 season. Boyd has also served as principal guest conductor of the City of London Sinfonia
. In April 2008, the Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur
announced the appointment of Boyd as its principal conductor, as of the 2009-2010 season.
In the US, Boyd's first conducting appearance was with the Gardner Chamber Orchestra in 2000. In 2002, Boyd became co-artistic director of the orchestra, along with Paula Robison. In 2004, he became one of the first Artistic Partners with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
. In 2006, he extended his contract with the SPCO into the 2009-2010 season. He concluded his SPCO Artistic Partnership in September 2009. He first conducted the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
in December 2006, in an acclaimed concert. In January 2008, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra named Boyd their principal guest conductor, for a contract of 3 years with 2 weeks of guest appearances per season.
Boyd and his wife Sally Pendlebury, a cellist, have three children. They make their home in London.
Oboist
An oboist is a musician who plays the oboe or any oboe family instrument, including the cor anglais, oboe d'amore, shawm and oboe musette....
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He studied oboe at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, London, as a pupil of Janet Craxton
Janet Craxton
Janet Helen Rosemary Craxton was an English oboe player and teacher. She was the youngest of the six children and the only daughter of the pianist and teacher Harold Craxton. Her older brothers included the artist John Craxton...
. He later was a student with Maurice Bourgue in Paris. In 1984 he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions which led to his New York City recital debut at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
Boyd was one of the founding members of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe , established in 1981, is administratively based in London. The orchestra comprises about 60 members coming from across Europe. The players pursue parallel careers as international soloists, members of eminent chamber groups, and as tutors and professors of music...
(COE), and served as its principal oboist from 1981 to 2002. During his time with the COE, he developed an interest in conducting, and counted as his first conducting mentors Claudio Abbado
Claudio Abbado
Claudio Abbado, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , is an Italian conductor. He has served as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Vienna State Opera,...
and Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Nikolaus Harnoncourt is an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music from the Classical era and earlier. Starting out as a classical cellist, he founded his own period instrument ensemble in the 1950s, and became a pioneer of the Early Music movement...
. He also had guidance from Paavo Berglund
Paavo Berglund
Paavo Allan Engelbert Berglund is a Finnish conductor.Born in Helsinki, Berglund studied the violin as a child, and played an instrument made by his grandfather. By age 15, he had decided on music as his career, and by 18 was playing in restaurants...
and Sir Colin Davis
Colin Davis
Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE is an English conductor. His repertoire is broad, but among the composers with whom he is particularly associated are Mozart, Berlioz, Elgar, Sibelius, Stravinsky and Tippett....
. In 2006, Boyd ceased performing on the oboe to focus full-time on his conducting career.
In 2001, Boyd became music director of the Manchester Camerata
Manchester Camerata
The Manchester Camerata is a British chamber orchestra based in Manchester, England. The orchestra was founded in the 1971–1972 season. A sub-group from the orchestra, the Manchester Camerata Ensemble, specialises in chamber music performances....
, his first major conducting post. He has conducted several recordings with the Manchester Camerata for the Avie label, including music of Beethoven, Mozart and Mahler. Boyd concluded his Manchester tenure after the 2010-2011 season. Boyd has also served as principal guest conductor of the City of London Sinfonia
City of London Sinfonia
The City of London Sinfonia is an English chamber orchestra based in London. In London, the CLS performs regularly at Cadogan Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It is also the resident orchestra at Opera Holland Park. The CLS has annual residencies in four towns in Southern England: Ipswich, King's...
. In April 2008, the Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur
Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur
The Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur is a symphony orchestra based in Winterthur, Switzerland. The oldest orchestra in Switzerland, it was founded in 1875 as the Stadtorchester Winterthur. The Musikkollegium itself as an organisation out of religious roots to that time was founded in 1629...
announced the appointment of Boyd as its principal conductor, as of the 2009-2010 season.
In the US, Boyd's first conducting appearance was with the Gardner Chamber Orchestra in 2000. In 2002, Boyd became co-artistic director of the orchestra, along with Paula Robison. In 2004, he became one of the first Artistic Partners with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra , based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is the United States' only full-time professional chamber orchestra...
. In 2006, he extended his contract with the SPCO into the 2009-2010 season. He concluded his SPCO Artistic Partnership in September 2009. He first conducted the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Colorado’s only full-time professional orchestra, the Colorado Symphony embraces a tradition of musical excellence by presenting a diverse array of symphonic performances throughout the year...
in December 2006, in an acclaimed concert. In January 2008, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra named Boyd their principal guest conductor, for a contract of 3 years with 2 weeks of guest appearances per season.
Boyd and his wife Sally Pendlebury, a cellist, have three children. They make their home in London.