John Carewe (born 24 January 1933) is a British conductor and teacher.

Biography

Very early in his student career at the Guildhall School of Music, Carewe gave up his original intention of being a composer and turned to conducting. His teachers, nevertheless, were all composers: Walter Goehr and Max Deutsch (both Schoenberg pupils),

Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

(with whom he studied in Paris on a French Government scholarship) and

Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 19255 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war contemporary classical music. Born in Montb ...

. In 1958, he founded the New Music Ensemble and gave many British premieres of music by composers including Birtwistle,

Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 19255 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war contemporary classical music. Born in Montb ...

, Bennett, Maxwell Davies, and appeared at most of the major British festivals, including the BBC Proms. He was one of the three conductors in the first British performance of

Stockhausen Karlheinz Stockhausen (; 22 August 1928 – 5 December 2007) was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. He is known for his groun ...

’s ''Gruppen'', given in Glasgow in 1960. In 1966, at the invitation of Sir William Glock, Carewe became principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra, and held the post until 1971. From 1974 to 1986, Carewe was music director of the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. He was principal conductor of The Fires of London between 1980 and 1984. In 1988, Carewe gave the world premiere of

Elliott Carter Elliott Cook Carter Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American modernist composer who was one of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century. He combined elements of European modernism and American " ...

's Oboe Concerto with

Heinz Holliger Heinz Robert Holliger (born 21 May 1939) is a Swiss composer, virtuoso oboist, and conductor. Celebrated for his versatility and technique, Holliger is among the most prominent oboists of his generation. His repertoire includes Baroque and Clas ...

. In 1996, he was involved with

Sir Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British conductor with German citizenship. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Ratt ...

and

Daniel Harding Daniel John Harding (born 31 August 1975) is a British conductor and airplane pilot. Biography Harding was born in Oxford. He studied trumpet at Chetham's School of Music and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra at age 13. At age 17, ...

in six performances of

Gruppen ''Gruppen'' ( German for "Groups") for three orchestras (1955–57) is amongst the best-known compositions of German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, and is Work Number 6 in the composer's catalog of works. ''Gruppen'' is "a landmark in 20th-cen ...

in Birmingham, London and Vienna. From 1993 to 1996, Carewe was ''Generalmusikdirektor'' (General Music Director) of the

Chemnitz Opera Theater Chemnitz is a German municipal theater organization based in Chemnitz. Performances of opera, ballet, plays, symphonic concerts, and puppet theater take place in its three main venues: * ''Opernhaus Chemnitz'' (for opera, ballet and musica ...

, which encompassed its resident orchestra, the ''Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie''. Carewe's pupils have included Sir

Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British conductor with German citizenship. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rat ...

. He frequently worked with the Bundesjugendorchester and taught conducting at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music in London. He has served on the jury of the

Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition The Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition is one of the most important music competitions of its kind worldwide and is held in Bamberg, Germany. Conductors no older than 35 years may enter. History The competition was founded by the Bamberg Sym ...

. Carewe's recordings include Debussy's ''Pelléas et Mélisande'' (recorded in 1988 after performances at Nice Opera), and Milhaud's ''La Création du Monde'' and Stravinsky's ''The Soldier's Tale'' (recorded with a chamber ensemble from the London Symphony Orchestra). Carewe has two daughters,

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

, a vocalist, and Anna, a cellist.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carewe, John British male conductors (music) 1933 births Principal conductors of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Living people 21st-century British conductors (music) 21st-century British male musicians