The London Symphony Orchestra is 110. Founded in 1904, it is London’s oldest symphony orchestra and was set up by a bunch of bolshy musicians from Henry Wood’s Queen’s Hall Orchestra who didn’t like the rules that were being brought in regarding who else they were allowed play for. They set themselves up as an opinionated co-operative and never looked back.
That pioneering egalitarian spirit has lasted over the years (to the occasional horror of the odd martinet maestro who has attempted to impose his will) so one imagines that the job of running this mob would require the iron will of a Stalin or the diplomacy of a Sir Humphrey Appleby. In fact, the current incumbent is neither of those – she’s a soft-spoken Northern Irishwoman with a keen sense of humour and an engaging enthusiasm for the work.
She may not be as old as the orchestra but Kathryn McDowell has been the LSO’s manager since 2005 – long enough to have seen a golden period or two. Headed for our fair shores in just under two weeks time I caught up with her in her...
Comments
Log in to join the conversation.