John Alexander Georgiadis (17 July 1939 – 5 January 2021) was a British violinist and conductor. He was twice Concert Leader with the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
during the 1960s and 70s, a member of both the ensembles London Virtuosi and the Gabrieli String Quartet as well as conductor for both the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO; ms, Orkestra Filharmonik Malaysia) is a Malaysian orchestra based in Kuala Lumpur. The orchestra is resident at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall (Dewan Filharmonik Petronas). It is one of Asia's leading ...
, and as Director of Orchestral Studies at the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...
.
Early life
Georgiadis was born in
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
on 17 July 1939,
growing up in the nearby town of
Laindon
Laindon is a commuter town in Essex, between Basildon and West Horndon. It was an ancient parish in Essex, England, that was abolished for civil purposes in 1937. It was based on the (probably smaller) manor of the same name and now lies mostly ...
. His father Alec was an amateur violinist and encouraged his son to master the instrument from the age of 6.
During his childhood on a family holiday to
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, his family met
Willi Boskovsky
Willibald Karl Boskovsky (16 June 1909 – 21 April 1991) was an Austrian violinist and conductor, best known as the long-standing conductor of the Vienna New Year's Concert from 1955 to 1979.
Biography
Boskovsky was born in Vienna, and joined the ...
, who on his visit to England visited and stayed in Laindon giving lessons to the young Georgiadis.
[ He attended the ]Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...
studying with Frederick Grinke and spent a year with René Benedetti.[
]
Musical career
In the late 1950s, a young Georgiadis had been the Concert Leader for Leslie Head and the Kensington Symphony Orchestra.
In 1963 Georgiadis joined the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was a professional symphony orchestra based in Birmingham, England between 1906 and 1918.
The orchestra was founded as a self-governing organisation run on cooperative lines by musicians from George Halford's Or ...
as Concert Leader. In 1965 he joined the London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
as Concert Leader until his first departure in 1973. During this time he performed the first English performance of the Menotti Violin Concerto, and the first London performance of the Bartok Violin Concerto No.1.[ In 1972, along with ]Anthony Camden
Anthony Camden (26 April 1938 – 7 March 2006) was the Principal Oboe and Chairman of the Board at the London Symphony Orchestra. He was also a founding member of the ensemble London Virtuosi and went on to become the Provost and Director of th ...
(oboe), Douglas Cummings (cello) and James Galway
Sir James Galway (born 8 December 1939) is an Irish virtuoso flute player from Belfast, nicknamed "The Man with the Golden Flute". He established an international career as a solo flute player. In 2005, he received the Brit Award for Outstan ...
(flute) formed the London Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble, of which he was the musical director.[
In 1974, Georgiadis left the ]London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
and started to teach with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...
, where he started his conducting career. He played solo violinist with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra in a memorial concert to John Howard Davies live on BBC Radio London on the 25 July 1974. In 1976 he recorded the Bliss Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...
.[ In 1977 he returned to the ]London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
as Concert Leader, where he met and worked with Sergiu Celibidache
Sergiu Celibidache (; 14 August 1996) was a Romanian conductor, composer, musical theorist, and teacher. Educated in his native Romania, and later in Paris and Berlin, Celibidache's career in music spanned over five decades, including tenures as ...
,[ a relationship that lasted for 8 years.][ On New Year's Day 1977, Georgiadis conducted the orchestra at the ]Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
, and continued the conductor role until 2015, in the Viennese style of his former mentor Willi Boskovsky.[ In 1979 Georgiadis left the LSO for a second time, but continued to guest as a soloist and a conductor.][ While touring with the Orchestra he recorded their trips on a movie camera.][ On the 15 March 1980 he conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra as part of the February Festival for BBC Radio 2's Saturday Night is Gala Night.][
In 1982 he become the music director for the Bristol Sinfonia, where he remained until 1984. From 1982 he was the principal conductor of the Essex Youth Orchestra, a position he held for 11 years. In 1987 he joined the Gabrieli Quartet, where he was the first violinist, until he left in 1990.][ In 1989 he joined the Royal Academy of Music as the Director of Orchestral Studies, a position he held until 1992. During his time with the Academy he worked as a guest conductor at the ]Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the ...
.
In 1992 he was approached by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, of which in 1994 he became its music director and conductor, and later became a regular guest conductor at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO; ms, Orkestra Filharmonik Malaysia) is a Malaysian orchestra based in Kuala Lumpur. The orchestra is resident at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall (Dewan Filharmonik Petronas). It is one of Asia's leading ...
, an orchestra he helped set up.[ He continued to guest conduct with orchestras around the world.
Georgiadis toured as a recital duet with ]Andy Peebles
Robert Andrew Peebles (born 1948) is a British radio DJ, television presenter, and cricket commentator.
Born in London, Peebles attended Bishop's Stortford College. He began as a nightclub DJ in the late 1960s.
Peebles was resident DJ at the C ...
from 1988 to 1999.[ He quit playing music professionally in the early 2000s. In 1999 he was asked by Kulthorn Silapabanleng, son of Thai composer ]Prasidh Silapabanleng
Muralikrishna Prasidh Krishna (born 19 February 1996) is an Indian international cricketer who plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. He is a right-arm medium fast bowler who regularly bowls a ...
to complete his composition The Prelude Of Siam, which Georgiadis did on the 4 September 1999. Unfortunately Prasidh had died the month before.
Georgiadis was an honorary member of the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain for whom he was archives guardian and librarian.[ In 1989 he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in recording '' Johann Strauss and Family in London'' for the silver jubilee of the organisation.
]
Literary, acting and television career
In 1979 Georgiadis appeared as a judge on the Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
programme, Fanfare for Young Musicians.[
In 2013 Georgiadis played the part of Bill, a member of the string section, in the British film ]Quartet
In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments.
Classical String quartet
In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...
.
He launched his autobiography ''Bow to Baton: A Leader’s Life'' in 2019. In the book he revealed was not a fan of Andre Previn, whom he worked with at the London Symphony Orchestra.
Discography
* 1975 - Elgar - John Georgiadis, John Parry - Music For Violin And Piano
* 1976 - London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – The Magic of Strauss
* 1976 - John Georgiadis, Susan Georgiadis – Gipsy Carnival
* 1977 - John Georgiadis, Susan Georgiadis – Hora Staccato
* 1978 - The Johann Strauss Orchestra, John Georgiadis – A Strauss Family Gala
* 1978 - The London Symphony Orchestra Conducted From The Violin Of John Georgiadis – The Blue Danube Waltz
* 1978 - John Georgiadis - Susan Georgiadis – Moto Perpetuo
* 1979 - Moeran - John Georgiadis, London Symphony Orchestra, Vernon Handley – Violin Concerto
* 1979 - The Strauss Family: Vienna Dances
* 1986 - Johann Strauss I/ Johann Strauss II/ Josef Strauss/ London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – An Evening Of Strauss
* 1988 - The London Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: John Georgiadis – An Evening In Vienna
* 1989 - The London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – Johann Strauss And Family In London
* 1993 - Albinoni – The London Virtuosi, Anthony Camden, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Op. 9, Nos. 2, 3, 5, 8, 9 & 11
* 1994 - Weber - Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, John Georgiadis – Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 • Turandot • Silvana • Die Drei Pintos
* 1995 - Albinoni - Anthony Camden, Alison Alty, The London Virtuosi, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Vol. 2
* 1995 - Albinoni, Anthony Camden, Alison Alty, The London Virtuosi, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Vol. 3
* 1997 - Johann Strauss - London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – A New Year Concert
* 1997 - John Georgiadis – Strauss A Viennese Collection London Symphony Orchestra
* 1998 - Fauré - RTE Sinfonietta, John Georgiadis - Orchestral Music
* 1999 - The Strauss Family in London
* 2015 - Czibulka, Fahrbach Jr., Fetrás, Gung'l, Hellmesberger Jr., Ivanovici, Lanner, Lincke, Millöcker, Schmid, Schrammel, Ziehrer, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Padubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family Vol. 1
* 2015 - Ivanovici, Lincke, Zeller, Fucik, Komzák, Suppé, Rosas, Hellmesberger, Labitzky, Fetrás, Schrammel, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family - Volume 2
* 2017 - Eduard Strauss I, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Paradubice, John Georgiadis – A Centenary Celebration
* 2017 - Czibulka, Eilenberg, Fahrbach, Jr, Fučík, Heuberger, Kéler, Labitzky, Lincke, Millöcker, Pazeller, Vollstedt, J.F. Wagner, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Paradubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family Vol. 3
* 2019 - Eduard Strauss I, Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis – A Centenary Celebration Vol. 2
* 2019 - Contemporaries of the Strauss Family, Vol. 4
Personal life
Georgiadis was born to parents Alec and Pat in 1939.[ He had an interest in website building, redesigning the Deal Festival site as well as designing Viennese Music Library (archives of the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain) and Musicians Gallery.
In 1961 Georgiadis married Susan Salter, a viola player and pianist. They toured and recorded together performing Gypsy music. She died in 2006. They had three children. His second wife was Monica Mollerstrom and they lived in the town of Deal.][
In 2019 he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor.] Georgiadis died on 5 January 2021.[
]
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgiadis, John
1939 births
2021 deaths
20th-century British male musicians
20th-century British musicians
20th-century classical violinists
Academics of the Royal Academy of Music
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
British classical violinists
British conductors (music)
British male conductors (music)
British people of Greek descent
Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music
London Symphony Orchestra players
Male classical violinists
People from Laindon
People from Southend-on-Sea