JOHN GIBBONS – Conductor

 

JOHN GIBBONS  Conductor & Composer

John is one of the leading conductors of British Music conducting neglected masterpieces from 20th Century Britain with a passionate conviction  enhanced by clear musical thought and intensity. Moreover his explanations to the audience and performers has guided many more people into true appreciation of these great works. Standing out in this list of repertoire are performances of Malcolm Arnold's Third Symphony, E.J. Moeran's Symphony in G minor, Bax's passionate Fourth Symphony and the Roumanian Premiere of William Walton's First Symphony with the Georges Enescu Philharmonic.

British Choral works also feature heavily including such works as:The Coelestial Sphere by W.G. Whitakker, The Choir Invisible by John Joubert, A Prayer by Frank Bridge and recently performances in Germany of Dyson's In honour of the City of London and Vaughan Williams's Toward the Unknown Region with the St Albans Chamber Choir, the Wormser Kantorei and the Kurpfalzphilharmonie Heidelberg.

John studied at Queens` College Cambridge, the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music.   He has conducted regularly at Holland Park and recent acclaimed shows include La Traviata, Manon Lescaut, Macbeth, La Fanciulla del West, Adrianna Lecouvreur, L' Amico Fritz , Carmen and Stiffelio. In 1997 he conducted the first UK staging of Mascagni's Iris to widespread critical praise and a similar reception greeted L'Arlesiana. Other notable opera productions include Mozart's Il Re Pastor at St. John's, Smith Square and La Boheme at the Spier Festival in South Africa.

His most recent operatic project was the preparation of a new reduced scoring of William Walton's opera Troilus & Cressida which was premiered by Opera Theatre of St Louis in June 2008 to universal acclaim. "every so often, something comes along to knock your socks off. This wil be hard to outdo as the operatic revelation of the year...Nothing about John Gibbons's reduced orchestration left one wanting more".   Dallas Morning News

In January 2008 John conducted the Macedonian Philharmonic in a performance of Borodin's Second Symphony and Rakhmaninov's Third Piano concerto with Rustem Hayroudinoff. Previous visits to the Balkans included the Romanian premiere of Walton's First Symphony with the Georges Enescu Philharmonic.  John has worked many times with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.including at the inaugural Classic FM ˜Hall of Fame' concert and the launch of ˜Digital Classics Television', both events at the Royal Albert Hall. His Royal Festival Hall debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra was followed by a CD of Skalkottas and Joseph James with the Philharmonia Orchestra. In 2004 John made his debut with both the City of Birmingham Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and recorded the Joseph James Piano Concerto for radio and CD with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

John has been Principal Conductor of Worthing Symphony Orchestra, the professional orchestra of West Sussex, since 1997 presenting a regular series of concerts with distinguished international soloists. The forthcoming 2009-2010 season includes the return of NICOLA BENEDETTI and legenary Turkish pianist Idil Biret as well as a Worthing debut for the young British pianist Anthony Hewitt.. Other concert work includes the Cape Town Philharmonic, the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra and the City of Oxford Orchestra at the Sheldonian, Oxford. He has assisted such  distinguished conductors as Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Slatkin, Elgar Howarth, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Andrew Davis and Kazushi Ono.

John is an advocate for new works and has premiered music by young British composers Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Carr and Laura Rossi. On 24th January 2009 John conducted the world premiere In St Albans Abbey of Martyr by Tarik O'Regan with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the St Albans Chamber Choir. In March he conducted a notable performance of Tippett's Triple Concerto with members of the Tippett Quartet and Ealing Symphony Orchestra.

John's own compositions include choral music for Clifton Cathedral, Bristol many of which have been broadcast on BBC TV and radio. John is committed to greater communication with audiences and won an award from the British Music Society in recognition of his ˜communication with the audience'. He also lectures for the WEA on enhancing the listener's perception of music. He has recently been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in recognition of this work.

John has organised and promoted two national tours of major choral works by Karl Jenkins for EMI Classics and Boosey & Hawkes and has just finished the official reduced version of "Stabat Mater" by Karl Jenkins for choral societies performing the work in smaller venues.

John is choral director of Clifton Cathedral Choir as well as music director of the St Albans Chamber Choir, Lord Williams's Festival Chorus and Ealing Symphony Orchestra whose adventurous programmes draw audiences from far and wide: recent highlights include performances of Bax's Fourth Symphony, the Second Symphony by Randall Thompson, David Bedford's Recorder Concerto and an ongoing complete series of the symphonies by Sir Malcolm Arnold. Forthcoming concerts include such rarities as "Enter Spring" by Frank Bridge, "Fantasia on the Old 104th" by Vaughan Williams and Malcolm Arnold's Fourth Symphony..  

 

For my current CV please Click Here

REVIEWS

 

La Traviata              Opera Holland Park                    August 2007

“As an entity, this Traviata makes a solid impact. John Gibbons’s conducting does something more. He shows a precise understanding of Verdian style and motivates the score from start to finish.”                                                George Hall  Independent on Sunday

 

 “Holland Park’s chorus is in as fine form this year as its orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, full of lush, shimmering details under John Gibbons"

                                                                                                     Anthony Holden. The Observer.       

 

 

 Manon Lescaut        Opera Holland Park                     June 2006

“…conducted with passion and pace by John Gibbons.”     Anthony Holden. The Observer

 

“John Gibbons relished the score, and the playing in Act IV was particularly well placed”.                                                                                                                        Opera Now

 

 

Macbeth                      Opera Holland Park                     June 2005

“A distinguished production of Verdi’s Macbeth by that venturesome director Olivia Fuchs, conducted in high style by John Gibbons.”                            Anthony Holden. The Observer

 

“The orchestra and chorus played and sang with true Verdian swagger conducted by John Gibbons.”                                                                             Peter Reed,  Sunday Telegraph

 

“The entire musical performance, under John Gibbons’s vital baton, reveals Opera Holland Park punching above its weight.”                                        Hugh Canning. Sunday Times

 

“A spirited evening, expertly driven by conductor John Gibbons.”

                                                          Edward Seckerson, The Independent

 

“With the conductor, John Gibbons, keeping the City of London Sinfonia on its toes, there was a sufficient dash of bloodthirsty energy in the pit, too.”

                                                                                                                              Richard Fairman. FT.

 

“John Gibbons conducted with bags of verve and a smattering of subtlety.”

                                                                                                                              Fiona Maddocks. Evening Standard

 

“John Gibbons does excellent work in the pit drawing an energetic and beautifully detailed performance from the City of London Sinfonia.                     Warwick Thompson. Metro

 

John Gibbons guides the City of London Sinfonia and the youthful chorus through a impactful reading whose tempos, if at times deliberate, always support the singers.                                                                                     David Blewitt. The Stage

 

“From the first notes, conductor John Gibbons proved, once again, to have total grasp, the City of London Sinfonia responding to his every command and playing excellently. With perfect ensemble playing in the opening Witch’s scene, the Chorus in top form, a standard was set that prevailed throughout the evening.                                                                                                                 Paul Hutchinson. Classical Source

 

 

 

La Fanciulla del West        Holland Park Theatre                June 2004

“The standards rise each year with the City of London Sinfonia under John Gibbons providing a thrilling account of this adventurously scored piece.”                                                                              Michael Tanner, The Spectator 

 

“This is one of Puccini’s greatest scores, as John Gibbons’s conducting reminded us.”                                                                                            Rupert Christiansen. Telegraph

 

“John Gibbons and an enlarged City of London Sinfonia gave and impassioned account of Puccini’s most luminous score.”                                     Peter Reed Sunday Telegraph

 

“John Gibbons conducts with customary authority.”              Paul Hutchinson. Classical Source

 

“John Gibbons conducts with great passion. Touching, strong and one of Opera Holland Park’s finest achievements to date.”                                  Tim Ashley. The Guardian

 

 

Stiffelio                                  Holland Park Theatre                August 2003

“Keel Watson’s Jorg is impressive but the best contribution is from conductor John Gibbons who shows an immaculate sense of Verdian rhythmic propulsion.”                                                                                                                                  George Hall – The Stage

           

 

 Adriana Lecouvreur         Holland Park Theatre                July 2002

“Much of the credit for the success of the evening should go to the conductor John Gibbons, who controls the ebb and flow of passion with a sure hand.”

                                                                                                Barry Millington Evening Standard

 

“ John Gibbons’s conducting has all the sleazy ardour the piece needs.”                                                                                                                  Michael Tanner The Spectator

 

“ John Gibbons drew much delicious playing from the mere 21 strings of an on form RPO”                                                                                                 Roderic Dunnett    The Independent

 

“ John Gibbons conducted admirably, keeping the piece on the move with a consummate understanding of Cilea’s voluptuous music, a stunning piece of verismo theatre. The RPO was in good form, so too the chorus.”   Paul Hutchinson  Classical Source

 

“The conductor John Gibbons really has a flair for this kind of score, and in this performance he kept up the momentum and allowed nothing to sound vulgar,”                                                                                                                                     George Hall  Opera Magazine

 

 

La Traviata              Holland Park Theatre                August 2001

“ John Gibbons has the RPO playing at full tilt in a reading which fully captures the feverish, fast-lane world of Violetta’s tragedy”.                 David Blewett         The Stage

 

 

Carmen                                 Holland Park Theatre                June 2001

“ John Gibbons, conducting, ties up this conventionally efficient package with crisp sensitivity and assured stylishness”                                         Tom Sutcliffe - Evening Standard

 

Un Ballo in Maschera         Opera Holland Park      August 2000

“Conductor John Gibbons provides a thoughtful, stylish and well-prepared interpretation”                                                                        Tom Sutcliffe – Evening Standard          

“The orchestra, under John Gibbons, was outstanding: passionate, restrained and delicate”                                                                                  Robert Thicknesse – The Times           

 

L’Amico Fritz                      Opera Holland Park      June / July 2000

“The best thing was the playing of the Royal Philharmonic Opera Orchestra under John Gibbons, who brought palpable sympathy and understanding to his conducting.”                                                                                      Rodney Milnes – The Times

 

“ John Gibbons conducts with typical stylishness”                  Tom Sutcliffe – Evening Standard          

 

La Boheme               Spier Opera Festival, South Africa         February 2000

“Part of the feeling of condensation may have to do with Gibbons’ recurring punctilliously to Puccini’s score. The result is a tighter altogether more dramatic soundscape that propels the opera to advantage. Those accustomed to the lush sentimentality with which ‘La Boheme’ has come to be associated, will be surprised by the spareness here, but it is an aesthetic simplicity that enlarges.”                                       Beryl Accona        The Star, Johannesburg.

 

Il Re Pastor              St John’s, Smith Square with RPO

“ John Gibbons, conducting from the harpsichord, had to cope with the orchestra divided, like the audience. But the RPO played with finesse and period sense, and the singing was delightfully fresh and energetic”                         Tom Sutcliffe, Evening Standard

 

 

La Bohème               Central Festival Opera, Holland Park August 1999

“ John Gibbons’ brilliantly poised responsive conducting”     Tom Sutcliffe – Evening Standard.

 

“ John Gibbons conducted the pit’s real musicians with the proper punch and lyrical ache."                                                                                              Geoff Brown  - The Times                                   

“The Company orchestra, commandingly conducted by John Gibbons, rises to the challenge. Burlesque and tragedy, satire and comedy, suspense and mystery are all within their range.”                                                                      Hywel Williams – Mail on Sunday

 

 

Tales of Hoffman    Central Festival Opera 1999

" John Gibbons drew sumptuous sounds from the 24-piece orchestra."   Opera – May 1999

 

L’Arlesiana                           Holland Park Theatre    1998

“Cilea’s score is a notable piece of craftmanship, especially the delicate and picturesque woodwind colouring and the richness and plasticity of the writing for strings, both features well emphasised by the conductor John Gibbons and the accomplished orchestra.”                                                      The Sunday Telegraph

 

“Yet Tom Hawkes’s production and John Gibbons’s musical direction for Opera Holland Park must have made the audience eager to learn more”.                                                                                                                                  Hilary Finch - Opera

 

“ John Gibbons in the pit, provided passionate advocacy for the music”                                                                                                                   Richard Fawkes – Opera Now

 

Iris                  Holland Park Theatre  1997 & 1998

“Conductor John Gibbons produced a finely executed, splendidly stylish reading of the score. I hope he will maintain his presence in future Holland Park Seasons, but we should see more of him in connection with other, more established companies. His gifts, particularly in this repertoire, seem to me exceptional and, judging by their reception of him, the Orchestra thought so too”’                  George Hall – Musical Opinion

 

 “However, the evening’s undoubted star was the young conductor John Gibbons, who took a Muti-like grip on the score, shaping it with care beyond its deserving, imbuing it with an attention-grabbing momentum.  Chorus and orchestra responded with relish.”                                                                                                                   David Blewitt - Opera

 

“The orchestra too made a fine showing in this large-scale Romantic score, with its many moments of fragrant refinement… John Gibbons conducted with a flexibility and sense of style that surely identifies him as a major opera conductor in the making:  an obvious enthusiast, I expect him to make his mark in this repertoire on a national scale before long.”                                                                     George Hall –Musical Opinion

 

“ John Gibbons’ passionate conducting ensures that, musically at least, Iris has every opportunity to blossom.                                                                       Nick Kimberley - Independent

 

“The singing and production were far superior to Wexford, and the conductor, John Gibbons, allowed the self-indulgent score to cast its spell in an unhurried manner.”                                                                                         Michael Kennedy – Sunday Telegraph

 

“The charismatic young conductor John Gibbons drew out the masterly colourings of Mascagni’s intriguing score in what proved to be an evening of considerable fascination.”                                                                                                             Peter Hepple – The Stage                                                                                                                                                                               

‘…and the oddly archaic musical colours and forms are finely realised by conductor John Gibbons.’                                                                                                             Evening Standard

 

Ischia Masterclass                           Buxton Opera House   1996

“ John Gibbons conducted both operas with great dramatic momentum and attention to detail.”                                                                                   Daniel Rye - Daily Telegraph

 

“For both operas the musical director is the prodigiously talented John Gibbons”                                                                                       Paul Levy - The Wall Street Journal

 

“The excellent Manchester Mozart orchestra, conducted by John Gibbons with an acute appreciation of both composers’ styles.”     Michael Kennedy - Sunday Telegraph

 

“performances accompanied by the Manchester Mozart Orchestra under the musical direction of John Gibbons, who, as he had done in the piano accompanied Ischia performances, proved himself a musician of spirit and insight...The also sparkled in Rossini’s delicious L’Occasione fa il ladro, and the whole work sped along, with Patrick Young’s clever direction brilliantly backed up by John Gibbons’s frothy conducting.”                                                                                               Geoffrey Crankshaw          Musical Opinion Feb 1997


Salomon Orchestra – St John’s, Smith Square – February 2002

“Gibbons is a skilled operator. He knows the music from the inside, and what needs his attention the most – his gestures and focus are for those playing… In that he is attentive to essentials, Gibbons is also a sensitive accompanist.”

Colin Anderson – Classical Source