John is an advocate for new works and has premiered music by young British composers Roxanna Panufnik, Paul Carr and Laura Rossi whose new work Jailhouse Graffiti is premiered at St John's, Smith Square on June 19th. His own compositions include choral music for Clifton Cathedral, Bristol. 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.

‘Adriana Lecouvreur’, Holland Park Theatre 2002

“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

“John Gibbons’s conducting has all the sleazy ardour the piece needs.”

Michael Tanner – The Spectator

“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

“Cutting in delivery, caked in sly irony and abetted by Arturo Colautti’s nicely snide libretto, John Gibbons drew much delicious playing from the mere 21 strings (plus harp) of an on form RPO.”
Roderic Dunnett – The Independent

“And the whole is nicely conducted by John Gibbons”

Tim Ashley – The Guardian

“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”

Paul Hutchinson – Classical Source

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

La Traviata – Holland Park Theatre 2001

“The RPO has made a huge difference to Holland Park this year, and John Gibbons kept them going in a performance more notable for civilisation than passion, though they made a show-stopping deal of Germont’s Commendatore-like entrance at Flora’s party. Violetta’s death for once was the real climax, paydirt on a night of adept pacing”

Robert Thicknesse – The Times

“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 2001

“John Gibbons, conducting, ties up this conventionally efficient package with crisp sensitivity and assured stylishness”

 Tom Sutcliffe - Evening Standard

‘Un Ballo in Maschera’, Holland Park Theatre 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’, Holland Park Theatre 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 Boh¨me’, Spier Opera Festival, South Africa 2000

“Part of the feeling of condensation may have to do with John Gibbons` recurring punctilliously to Puccini`s score. The result is a tighter altogether more dramatic soundscape that propels the opera to advantage

Beryl Accona – The Star, Johannesburg

‘La Boh¨me’ 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

Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman" Central Festival Opera 1999

"John Gibbons drew sumptuous sounds from the 24-piece orchestra."

Opera – May 1999

Cilea “L’Arlesiana”Holland Park Theatre1998

“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 – August 1998

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

Opera - Hilary Finch

Mascagni “Iris” Holland Park Theatre1997

‘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.’

Musical Opinion – George Hall

“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.Chorusandorchestrarespondedwithrelish.”
Opera – October 1997

“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.”
Musical Opinion – September 1997

“John Gibbons’ passionate conducting ensures that, musically at least, Iris has every opportunity to blossom.”
 Independent – 11 July 1997

“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.”

Sunday Telegraph – 13 July 1997

“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.”

The Stage

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

Evening Standard

‘Itis to the credit of John Gibbons, conducting, that the ear is teased at all:…’

The Times

Ischia Masterclass 1996 – Buxton Opera House

“John Gibbons conducted both operas with great dramatic momentum and attention to detail.”

Daily Telegraph – 5 November 1996