- Richard Austin (conductor)
Richard Austin FRCM (1903-1989), was the chief conductor of the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra (now the
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra ) from 1934 until 1939 and later a Professor of theRoyal College of Music .Early life
The son of Frederic and Amy Austin, Austin was educated at
Gresham's School , Holt, theRoyal College of Music , and inMunich .'AUSTIN, Richard', in "Who Was Who", A & C Black, 1920–2007; online edition byOxford University Press (subscription required) December 2007: " [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U161620 AUSTIN, Richard] ", accessed 23 Aug 2008]Career
In 1929, he became Conductor with the
Carl Rosa Opera Company , then from 1934 to 1940 was Musical Director of the Bournemouth Corporation, that is, he was the chief conductor of the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, which is now theBournemouth Symphony Orchestra . His predecessor there was Sir Dan Godfrey and his successor wasMontague Birch .During the
Second World War he served as Music Advisor, Northern Command (1941–1945). Following the war, he became a Professor of theRoyal College of Music , from 1946 to 1976, and was also the college's Director of Opera from 1955 to 1976, when he retired.Concurrently, Austin served as Music Director to the New Era Concert Society (1947–1957) and was a guest conductor at
Sadler's Wells Theatre , with other London and provincial orchestras in the UK, and overseas in theNetherlands ,Belgium ,Germany ,Spain ,Sweden ,Switzerland ,Finland ,Yugoslavia ,Czechoslovakia ,Cuba ,Mexico ,South Africa , theUnited States , and also inSouth America .Notes
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