Ernest Read
Encyclopedia
Ernest Read was an English conductor
, organist
, and music educator. He had a profound impact on the development of music education within England during the first half of the 20th century, and published several books on music pedagogy. He was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1956.
From 1896–1906 Read studied at the Royal Academy of Music
under Tobias Matthay
and Henry Joseph Wood. He served as the principal of the Watford School of Music from 1913-1920. He also taught conducting and ear training on the faculty of the RAM from 1919–1950. Two of his notable students were Edwin Bélanger
and William Ifor Jones
. In 1926 he founded the London Junior Orchestra, one of the earliest youth symphonies in England. That orchestra spawned 4 more youth orchestras in the city of London and 11 affiliate youth orchestras throughout Great Britain.
In 1931 Read founded the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), a professional orchestra with a commitment to performing concerts accessible to children as well as adults. He led the orchestra up until his death 34 years later, conducting concerts in schools, concert halls and for the BBC
. In 1945 he established the lauded Ernest Read Concerts for Children, which ran until the late 1990s. ERSO remain active today.
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...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, and music educator. He had a profound impact on the development of music education within England during the first half of the 20th century, and published several books on music pedagogy. He was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1956.
From 1896–1906 Read studied 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...
under Tobias Matthay
Tobias Matthay
Tobias Augustus Matthay was an English pianist, teacher, and composer.-Biography:Matthaw as born in London in 1858 to parents who had come from northern Germany and were naturalised British subjects...
and Henry Joseph Wood. He served as the principal of the Watford School of Music from 1913-1920. He also taught conducting and ear training on the faculty of the RAM from 1919–1950. Two of his notable students were Edwin Bélanger
Edwin Bélanger
Edwin Bélanger was a Canadian conductor, violinist, violist, arranger, and music educator. He had an association with the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec for more than 50 years, including serving as the orchestra's principal conductor from 1942 to 1951.-Education:Born in Montmagny, Quebec,...
and William Ifor Jones
William Ifor Jones
William Ifor Jones , was a Welsh conductor and organist. Born into a large coal-mining family and raised in Merthyr Tydfil, Jones studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1920 to 1925. He studied the organ with at St. Paul's Cathedral, London; orchestral Conducting with Sir Henry Wood...
. In 1926 he founded the London Junior Orchestra, one of the earliest youth symphonies in England. That orchestra spawned 4 more youth orchestras in the city of London and 11 affiliate youth orchestras throughout Great Britain.
In 1931 Read founded the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra (ERSO), a professional orchestra with a commitment to performing concerts accessible to children as well as adults. He led the orchestra up until his death 34 years later, conducting concerts in schools, concert halls and for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. In 1945 he established the lauded Ernest Read Concerts for Children, which ran until the late 1990s. ERSO remain active today.
Source
- Walsh, Stephen. 2001. "Read, Ernest." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd edition. London: MacMillian.