Bryan Balkwill

Who was Bryan Balkwill?

Bryan Havell Balkwill was an English orchestral conductor.

Balkwill was born in London. He started to learn to play the piano at the age of four and was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. From there he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. After service in the Second World War in Italy he was appointed as répétiteur for the New London Opera Company in 1947 where he became its assistant conductor. With them he made his debut at the Cambridge Theatre conducting Carl Ebert's production of Rigoletto. Around the same time he was the associate conductor of the International Ballet Company.

In 1950 he became répétiteur at Glyndebourne and during the same year was appointed as principal conductor of the London Festival Ballet. He returned to Glyndebourne in 1953 as chorus master and associate conductor. During the 1950s he played a part in creating the Art Council's Opera for All programme and was its musical director from 1953 to 1963. Also during the 1950s he was principal conductor of the Wexford Festival for seven years. He made his debut at the Royal Festival Hall in 1957 conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.