- John Hosier
Infobox Person
name = John Hosier
caption =
birth_date = birth date|1928|11|18
birth_place =Kingsbury ,Middlesex ,England
death_date = death date and age|2000|03|28|1928|11|18
death_place =London , England
other_names =
known_for =
occupation =Music educator
nationality = BritishJohn Hosier
CBE , was a musical educator. He was born without fingers so was unable to play a musical instrument himself but, nonetheless, devoted his life to music and music education. Later in life, when asked about his hands by children, he would say that he used to bite his fingernails too much. [cite news| url=http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article4611976.ece| title=The Blue Peter Effect| publisher=The Times Magazine|date=2008-08-30]Early life
John Hosier was born in
Kingsbury ,Middlesex London . His father was Harry Hosier, the founder of the building firm Hosier and Dickenson, and his mother was Constance, a violinist. He attendedPreston Manor School ,Wembley andSt John's College, Cambridge where he also served as director ofFootlights from 1950-1951.Career
John Hosier's professional career started in 1953 when he became a music producer for
BBC Radio for schools, a position he held until 1959. Then from 1960 until 1973 he worked inBBC Television for schools.From 1973 until 1976 he was the Inspector for
Inner London Education Authority and the Director of theCentre for Young Musicians .From 1978 thru 1989 he was the Principal of the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama at theBarbican Arts Centre . Here he developed its reputation into one of the world's leading conservatororys and started courses in opera and Jazz. In 1986 he worked withLeonard Bernstein for theBarbican Centre 's Leonard Bernstein Festival.He became a Commander of the British Empire (
CBE ) in 1984.In 1989 he was appointed Director of the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , a position he held for 5 years until 1993.He was director of the
Early Music Centre in London from 1994 until his death in 2000.He was married to
Biddy Baxter , the editor and producer ofBlue Peter onBBC TV.References
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000330/ai_n14286072/pg_1 Obituary in 'The Independent' by George Derbyshire]
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