conductors

John Forster, conductor

John Forster has been closely associated with the Royal College of Music (London) for more than thirty years – the first five of these as a student of piano and violin. During that time he was leader of one of the RCM orchestras (for two years), appeared as piano soloist in concertos by Mozart and Rachmaninov, spent much time as an accompanist and pianist in chamber ensembles, and started to take an interest in conducting. During his studentship John was the recipient of many awards and won most of the major prizes.

On completion of his studies John was immediately invited by the Director, Sir David Willcocks, to join the teaching staff of the College (becoming the youngest professor ever appointed). In 1989 he became Head of Orchestral Studies and Head of Conducting and was awarded a Fellowship [FRCM] 'in recognition of service to music and the College', an honour conferred by the Queen Mother. His commitments at the College included helping to organise the personnel of the orchestras (as well as conducting them), taking classes in conducting, piano accompaniment and other skills, and coaching ensembles.

As a conductor, John has always been interested in 'training', rather than concert–giving merely as an end in itself. Apart from his duties at the RCM, his involvement in the training of young musicians was evidenced by his work over several years at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies (in conjunction with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Charles Groves, Vernon Handley, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Kurt Sanderling and many others) and appearances as guest conductor of the British Youth Symphony Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, and the County Youth Orchestras of Essex, Hertfordshire and Kent. He worked regularly for five years with the County of Avon Schools Orchestra (in addition to his commitments with Surrey County Youth Orchestra and Kent Youth String Orchestra) and for eight years was Musical Director of the Northumberland Schools Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted the Enfield Young Symphony Orchestra for four seasons.

Work with amateur musicians has also always appeared high on his list of priorities, not least on account of their seemingly boundless enthusiasm and commitment! In addition to his work over the past twenty–four years with the Farnborough Symphony Orchestra, he has also devoted a great deal of his time to the conductorships of the East Surrey Symphony Orchestra and various other amateur orchestras around the country.

John worked extensively for almost thirty years with the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, initially both as a violinist and as principal keyboard–player. He made his first appearance as a conductor with the GPO in 1975, in a programme of Mozart's G minor (40th) and Beethoven's 9th (Choral) symphonies – deputising for an indisposed Vernon Handley at only two hours' notice, on only three hours' rehearsal, but to great acclaim! Following that 'debut' he appeared as conductor in many subsequent seasons (in works ranging from Handel 'Concerti Grossi to Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring') and as keyboard soloist/director in concertos by Bach and Mozart.

For several years John was involved as a teacher in the training programme for Bandmasters and Directors of Music at the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth and also for the Royal Air Force at Headquarters Music Services, Uxbridge where he worked regularly with the Central Band of the RAF.

In his role as pianist (and harpsichordist) John is in demand as a duo partner, accompanist and continuo–player and he also plays with various chamber ensembles. He has made many concerto appearances, often directing from the keyboard, at venues such as Fairfield Hall, Croydon and St John's Smith Square, London.

John has broadcast on radio and television, appeared at the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican and has given concerts with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra. His work has taken him to the Channel Islands, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, Spain, and also to the Arabian Gulf States. In Oman he directed a successful series of concerts with the RCM Chamber Orchestra and also worked with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra – in August 1998 he was appointed Chief Conductor of this orchestra and worked for six months of each of the subsequent three years in Oman. In June 1999 he appeared with the orchestra in France, Germany and the UK and in October 2000 they gave a concert in Brussels to mark the inauguration of a trade and cultural exchange between Oman and the European Union.

In September 2001, John returned to England to take up a new appointment as Head of Piano at Christ's Hospital School in Horsham, West Sussex – and to spend more time with his family.