Kenneth Montgomery

Kenneth Montgomery (born 1943, Belfast) is a British conductor, the only child of Lily and Tom Montgomery. [cite news | url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/features/daily-features/article2146067.ece | title=The music detective | publisher="Belfast Telegraph" | date=12 January 2007 | accessdate=2007-09-22] 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. In 1975, he became music director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera, and has continued with the ensemble as a guest conductor. [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,700937,00.html Erica Jeal, "A treasure on tour." "The Guardian", 14 October 1999.] ] [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,,1058833,00.html Tim Ashley, "Idomeneo" "The Guardian", 9 October 2003] ] 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. Montgomery is the first Belfast-born musician named as the orchestra's Principal Conductor.

Outside of the UK, in 1975, Montgomery was named principal conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra. 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. [Anne Constable, "Santa Fe Opera music director steps down". "The New Mexican", 9 May 2007.] 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. [cite news | url=http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/65320.html | title=Dutch maestro takes over as chief conductor | publisher="The New Mexican" | author=Craig Smith | date=24 July 2007 | accessdate=2007-07-25] The same announcement also stated that Montgomery is scheduled to continue as a guest conductor at SFO for three operas over the years 2008 to 2011. [cite news | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6832.html | title=Santa Fe Opera Names Edo de Waart Chief Conductor | publisher="Playbill Arts" | author=Matthew Westphal | date=24 July 2007 | accessdate=2007-07-25]

References

External links

* [http://www.kennethmontgomery.net/ Kenneth Montgomery's website]
* [http://www.ulster-orchestra.org.uk/orchestra/conductor_pg.html Biography from the Ulster Orchestra web site]
* [http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2006/01/montgomery2.htm Interview with Kenneth Montgomery by Maria Nocklin, "Music & Vision" website, January 2006.]