Ruth Dorothy Louisa ("Wid") Gipps (21 February 1921 – 23 February 1999) was an English composer, oboist, pianist, conductor and educator. She composed music in a wide range of genres, including five symphonies, seven concertos and many chamber and choral works. She founded both the London Repertoire Orchestra and the Chanticleer Orchestra and served as conductor and music director for the City of Birmingham Choir. Later in her life she served as chairwoman of the Composers' Guild of Great Britain.''

The Musical Times ''The Musical Times'' was an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom. It was originally created by Joseph Mainzer in 1842 as ''Mainzer's Musical Times and Singing Circular'', but in 1844 he sold it to Alfr ...

'', vol. 140, no. 1867 (Summer 1999), pp. 8–9 She was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(MBE) in the 1981 Birthday Honours for services to music.

Life and career

Early life and education

Gipps was born at 14 Parkhurst Road,

Bexhill-on-Sea Bexhill-on-Sea (often shortened to Bexhill) is a seaside town and civil parish in the Rother District in the county of East Sussex in South East England. It is located along the Sussex Coast and between the towns of Hastings, England, Hastings ...

, England in 1921 to (Gerard Cardew) Bryan Gipps (1877–1956), a businessman, English teacher in Germany, and later an official at the

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

who was a trained violinist from a military family, and Hélène Bettina (née Johner), a piano teacher from

Basel, Switzerland Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city (after Zurich and Geneva), with ...

. They married in 1907, having met at the

Hoch Conservatory Dr. Hoch's Konservatorium – Musikakademie was founded in Frankfurt am Main on 22 September 1878. Through the generosity of Frankfurter Joseph Hoch, who bequeathed the Conservatory one million German gold marks in his testament, a school for ...

in Frankfurt, where Hélène had trained and went on to teach, and where Bryan had gone against his family's wishes to study the violin. Ruth Gipps had two elder siblings, Ernest Bryan (1910–2001), a violinist, and Laura (1908–1962), also a musician. The Gipps family had

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

roots, descending from the eighteenth-century

apothecary ''Apothecary'' () is an Early Modern English, archaic English term for a medicine, medical professional who formulates and dispenses ''materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons and patients. The modern terms ''pharmacist'' and, in Brit ...

, hop merchant, banker, and politician

George Gipps Sir George Gipps (23 December 1790 – 28 February 1847) was the Governor of New South Wales, Governor of the British Colony of New South Wales for eight years, between 1838 and 1846. His governorship oversaw a tumultuous period where the rights ...

; Sir

, Governor of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

from 1838 to 1846, was a relative. At his marriage, Bryan Gipps had started a small business to allow his wife to focus on her music; after a few years, the business failed, and they moved to Germany, where he taught English. When they moved to Bexhill-on-Sea at the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in 1914, the family was in the then unusual position of a middle-class household's mother being the main provider, which along with Hélène's idiosyncrasies attracted some attention. The family home was the Bexhill School of Music, of which Hélène was principal. Eventually becoming an official at the Board of Trade, her father was also the senior heir, via his mother, Louisa Goulburn Thomas, to the

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

and Kent property of Richard Thomas, of

Hollingbourne Hollingbourne is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the borough of Maidstone (borough), Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the southward slope of the North Downs to the east of the county town, Maidstone ...

, near

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...

, Kent, and of Cystanog, High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1788. Ruth, a

child prodigy A child prodigy is, technically, a child under the age of 10 who produces meaningful work in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to describe young people who are extraordinarily talented in some f ...

, began studying piano with her mother from a very early age. Her first public performance was at Grotrian Hall in London at the age of four. She performed one of her first compositions at the age of eight in Brighton in 1929. A few years later, she won a concerto competition, performing the first movement of a Haydn with the

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

Municipal Orchestra. She continued playing regularly throughout her teen years. In 1937, at the age of 16, she entered the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including pe ...

,. While there, she studied oboe with Léon Goossens, piano with

Arthur Alexander Arthur Alexander (May 10, 1940 – June 9, 1993) was an American country-soul songwriter and singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for AllMusic, said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and that, though largely unknown, "his music is the stuf ...

and composition with Gordon Jacob, and later with

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

. Several of her works were first performed there, including her symphonic tone poem ''Knight in Armour, op. 8,'' which is based off of Rembrandt's painting 'Young Warrior'. As a student, Ruth won much acclaim and prizes for her pieces, including her piano quartet ''Brocade'' (1941), op. 17. Her string quartet ''Sabrina'' (1940) won a Cobbett prize. It was premiered in 1946 by the Society for Women Musicians. Continuing her studies at

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

, she passed her final exams by writing a Quintet for oboe, clarinet, and string trio. She met her future husband, clarinetist Robert Baker, a musician in the premiere performance of her Quintet in 1941 at Wigmore Hall. At age 26, she became the youngest British woman to receive a doctorate in music, for her choral work ''The Cat'' .

Professional career

Ruth Gipps was an accomplished well-rounded musician, as a soloist on both oboe and piano as well as a prolific composer. Her repertoire included works such as Arthur Bliss'

Piano Concerto A piano concerto, a type of concerto, is a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for piano accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuosic showpieces which require an advance ...

and Constant Lambert's '' The Rio Grande''. When she was 33 a shoulder injury ended her performance career, and she decided to focus her energies on conducting and composition. Gipps claimed to know from a young age that her main interest lay in composing, stating,

I had of course known all along that playing the piano was my job; the first concert merely confirmed it. But I also knew without a shadow of a doubt, although I had not yet written anything, that I was a composer. Not that I ''wanted'' to be a composer – that I ''was'' one.

An early success came when Sir

Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introducing hundr ...

conducted her tone poem ''Knight in Armour'' at the Last Night of the Proms in 1942. Gipps' music is marked by a skilful use of instrumental colour and often shows the influence of Vaughan Williams, rejecting the trends in

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

modern music such as

serialism In music, serialism is a method of composition using series of pitches, rhythms, dynamics, timbres or other musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, though some of his contemporaries were also ...

and twelve-tone music. She considered her orchestral works, her five symphonies in particular, as her greatest works. She also produced two substantial piano concertos. After the war Gipps turned her attention to chamber music, and in 1956 she won the Cobbett Prize of the Society of Women Musicians for her Clarinet Sonata, Op. 45. In March 1945, she performed

Alexander Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov ( – 21 March 1936) was a Russian composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Russian Romantic period. He was director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory between 1905 and 1928 and was instrumental i ...

's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the City of Birmingham Orchestra as a piano soloist while also, in the same program, performing in her own Symphony No. 1 on

cor anglais The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn (mainly North America), is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially ...

under the baton of George Weldon.

Discrimination

Gipps' early career was affected by

discrimination Discrimination is the process of making unfair or prejudicial distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong, such as race, gender, age, class, religion, or sex ...

. Because of this supposed opposition, she is thought to have developed a tough personality that many found off-putting, and a fierce determination to prove herself through her work.

Conducting and orchestral work

She founded the One Rehearsal Orchestra, later known as the London Repertoire Orchestra in 1955. This provided an opportunity for young students and amateurs to become exposed to a wide range of music. In 1957, she conducted the Pro Arte Orchestra. She later founded the Chanticleer Orchestra in 1961, a professional ensemble which included a work by a living composer in each of its programs, often a premiere performance. Among these was the first London performance in September 1972 of the Cello Concerto by Sir Arthur Bliss in which the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber made his professional debut at the

Queen Elizabeth Hall The Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) is a music venue on the South Bank in London, England, that hosts European classical music, classical, jazz, and avant-garde music, talks and dance performances. It was opened in 1967, with a concert conducted by ...

. Malcolm Arnold wrote his ''Variations on a Theme of Ruth Gipps'' specifically for this orchestra. In forming her own orchestras, she was able to build a thriving conducting career and circumvent the neglect of her own music by the BBC.

Teaching positions

Later she would take faculty posts at

Trinity College London Trinity College London (TCL) is an examination board based in London, United Kingdom which offers graded and diploma qualifications across a range of disciplines in the performing arts and English language learning and teaching. Trinity Colleg ...

(1959 to 1966), the

(1967 to 1977), and then Kingston Polytechnic at Gypsy Hill. In 1967 she was appointed chairwoman of the Composers' Guild of Great Britain.

Retirement and death

In London, her address was 20 Heathcote Road, St Margaret's,

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

. On her retirement, Gipps returned to

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

, living at Tickerage Castle near Framfield until her death in 1999, aged 78, after suffering the effects of cancer and a stroke. Her son, Lance Baker (born 1947), was a professional

horn player This list of horn players and pedagogues includes notable players of French horn, German horn, natural horn, Vienna horn, tenor (alto) horn, and alphorn. B * Radek Baborák, born 1976, former Principal horn Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Mu ...

, orchestrator and brass teacher.

Music

Stylistically, Gipps was a Romantic both in the musical sense and in her choice of extra-musical inspiration (for example the tone poem ''Knight in Armour''). Although her music is not typically pastoral from a programmatic perspective, Gipps was heavily indebted to the English pastoralist school of the early 20th century, particularly her erstwhile teacher Vaughan Williams, but other figures, including Arthur Bliss (to whom she dedicated the Fourth Symphony), her contemporary Malcolm Arnold, and the conductor George Weldon were also influential. Her conservative, tonal style placed her at odds with contemporary trends in music such as

, of which she was highly critical. After her early success with ''Knight in Armour'' in 1942, her music was not featured again in the Proms nor broadcast on

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

in her lifetime.

Works

Orchestra

* Symphonies ** Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 22 (1942) ** Symphony No. 2 (in One Movement), Op. 30 (1945) ** Symphony No. 3, Op. 57 (1965) ** Symphony No. 4, Op. 61 (1972) ** Symphony No. 5, Op. 64 (1982) * Variations on Byrd's "Non nobis", for small orchestra, Op. 7 (1942) * ''Knight in Armour'', tone poem, Op. 8 (1942) * ''Sea Nymph'', ballet for small orchestra (or for two pianos), Op. 14 (1941 ?) * ''Death on a Pale Horse'', tone poem, Op. 25 (1943) * ''Chanticleer'' Overture, Op. 28 (1944) * ''The Chinese Cabinet'' Suite for orchestra, Op. 29 (1945) * ''Mahomet and the Cat'', Op. 32 (1947) * ''Song for Orchestra'', Op. 33 (1948) * ''Cringlemire Garden'', an impression for string orchestra, Op. 39 (1952) * ''Coronation Procession'' for orchestra, Op. 41 (1953) * Pageant Overture ''The Rainbow'', Op. 44 (1954) * ''Ambarvalia'' for small orchestra, Op. 70 (1988)

Concertante

* Piano Concerto in G minor, Op. 34 (1948) * Violin Concerto in B-flat major, Op. 24 (1943) * ''Jane Grey'', Fantasy for Viola and String Orchestra (or piano), Op. 15 (1940) * ''Introduction and Carol: The Ox and the Ass'' for Double Bass and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 71 (1996) * Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 20 (1941) * ''Threnody'' for English Horn, Strings and Harp (1990) * Clarinet Concerto, Op. 9 (1940) * ''Leviathan'' for Contra-Bassoon and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 59 (1969) * Horn Concerto, Op. 58 (1968) * Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Small Orchestra, Op. 49 (1957)

Chamber music

* ''Chamois'' for 2 Violins and Piano, Op. 3c (1939) * Trio for Oboe, Clarinet and Piano, Op. 10 (1940) * Suite for 2 Violins, Op. 12d (1940) * ''Elephant God'' for Clarinet and Percussion, Op. 12e (1940) * ''Sabrina'', String Quartet in one movement, Op. 13 (1940) * Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Cello, Op. 16 (1941) * Piano Quartet ''Brocade'', Op. 17 (1941) * ''Rhapsody'' in E for Clarinet Quintet, Op. 23 (1942) * ''Scherzo: The Three Billy Goats Gruff'' for Oboe, Horn, and Bassoon, Op. 27b (1943) * String Quartet, Op. 47 (1956) * ''Seascape'' for 10 Winds, Op. 53 (1958) * '' A Tarradiddle'' for 2 Horns, Op. 54 (1959) * Wind Octet for 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons and 2 Horns, Op. 65 (1983) * ''Sinfonietta'' for 10 Winds and Percussion, Op. 73 (1989) * ''The Pony Cart'' for Flute, Horn and Piano, Op. 75 (1990) * ''A Wealden Suite'', Quartet for E, B, A and Bass Clarinets, Op. 76 (1991) * ''Pan and Apollo'' for 2 Oboes, English Horn and Harp, Op. 78 (1992)

Instrumental

* Strings ** ''Rhapsody'' for Violin and Piano, Op. 27a (1943) ** Violin Sonata, Op. 42 (1954) ** ''Evocation'' for Violin and Piano, Op. 48 (1956) ** ''Lyric Fantasy'' for Viola and Piano, Op. 46 (1955) ** ''Scherzo and Adagio'' for Cello Solo, Op. 68 (1987) ** Cello Sonata, Op. 63 (1978) ** Double-Bass Sonata, Op. 81 (1986) * Woodwinds ** ''Pixie Caravan'' for Flute and Piano (1939) ** ''Rowan'' for Flute and Piano (1940) ** ''The Saint Francis Window'' for Alto Flute and Piano, Op. 67 (1986) ** ''Cool Running Water'' for Bass Flute and Piano, Op. 77 (1991) ** ''Kensington Garden Suite'' for Oboe and Piano, Op. 2 (1938) ** ''Sea-Shore Suite'' for Oboe and Piano, Op. 3b (1939) ** Oboe Sonata No. 1 in G minor, Op. 5 (1939) ** ''The Piper of Dreams'' for Oboe Solo, Op. 12b (1940) ** Oboe Sonata No. 2, Op. 66 (1985) ** ''Sea-Weed Song'' for English Horn and Piano, Op. 12c (1940) ** ''Threnody'' for English Horn and Piano (or Organ), Op. 74 (1990) ** ''The Kelpie Of Corrievreckan'' for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5b (1939) ** Clarinet Sonata, Op. 45 (1955) ** ''Prelude'' for Bass Clarinet Solo (or B Clarinet), Op. 51 (1958) ** ''Honey-Coloured Cow'' for bassoon and piano, Op. 3d (1938) * Brass ** ''The Riders of Rohan'' for Trombone and Piano (1987) ** Horn Sonatina, Op. 56 (1960) ** ''Triton'' for Horn and Piano, Op. 60 (1970) ** Trombone (or Horn) Sonata, Op. 80 (1995)

Piano

* ''The Fairy Shoemaker'' (1929) * ''Sea Nymph'', ballet for small orchestra (or for two pianos), Op. 14 (1941 ?) * ''Conversation'' for 2 Pianos, Op. 36 (1950) * ''Theme and Variations'', Op. 57a (1965) (transcription of Symphony No. 3, third movement) * ''Opalescence'', Op. 72 (1989)

Choral

* ''Mazeppa's Ride'' for Female Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 1 (1937) * ''The Cat'', Cantata for Alto, Baritone, Double Mixed Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 32 (1947) * ''Goblin Market'' for 2 Sopranos, Female Chorus and String Orchestra (or Piano), Op. 40 (1953) * ''An Easter Carol'' for Soprano, Mixed Chorus and Piano or Organ, Op. 52 (1958) * ''Magnificat and Nunc dimittis'' for Mixed Chorus and Organ, Op. 55 (1959) * ''Gloria in excelsis'' for Unison Chorus and Organ, Op. 62 (1977) * ''A Service for Holy Communion'' for Mixed Chorus and Organ, Op. 62a (1974)

Vocal

* ''Four Baritone Songs'' for Baritone and Piano, Op. 4b (1939) * ''Heaven'' for High Voice and Piano (1939) * ''Four Songs of Youth'' for Tenor and Piano (1940) * ''Two Songs'' for Soprano and Piano, Op. 11 (1940) * ''Rhapsody'' for Wordless Soprano and Small Orchestra, Op. 18 (1941) * ''Ducks'' for Soprano, Flute, Cello and Piano, Op. 19 (1941) * ''The Song of the Narcissus'' for Soprano and Piano, Op. 37 (1951) * ''Three Incantations'' for Soprano and Harp, Op. 50 (1957) * ''The Lady of the Lambs'' for Soprano and Wind Quintet, Op. 79 (1992)

Discography

Recordings of the music of Ruth Gipps include: * Cello Sonata, Theme & Variations for piano, ''Opalescence'', Double Bass Sonata. Joseph Spooner (cello), David Heyes (double bass), Duncan Honeybourne (piano). Prima Facie (2021) * Clarinet Sonata, Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet and String Trio. Peter Cigleris (clarinet), Gareth Hulse (oboe), Duncan Honeybourne (piano), Tippett Quartet. SOMM (2021) * Clarinet Concerto. Robert Plane, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, cond. Martyn Brabbins, 2020 * Cringlemire Garden. Southwest German Chamber Orchestra, Douglas Bostock, CPO Records 2021 (with collection of other British string works) * Horn Concerto. David Pyatt (horn), London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Braithwaite, Lyrita, 2007 * Oboe Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2. Juliana Koch (oboe), Michael McHale (piano). On ''Piper of Dreams'', Chandos 20290 (2024) * Octet for Wind (2nd movement), ''Pan and Apollo''. Members of BBC National Orchestra of Wales
broadcast 12/3/2021
* Piano Concerto, Theme and Variations for piano, ''Opalescence''. Angela Brownridge (piano), Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Laus, Cameo Classics, 2014 * Piano Concerto, ''Ambarvalia''. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Peebles, soloist Murray McLachlan (2019). * ''Seascape'', ''Sinfonietta''. Erie County Chamber Winds conducted by Rick Fleming. Mark Records, 2013 * Symphony No. 1, ''Coronation Procession'', ''Ambarvalia'', Horn Concerto, ''Cringlemire Garden''. Martin Owen (horn),

BBC Philharmonic The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at Media ...

conducted by Rumon Gamba. Chandos (2025) * Symphony No 2. Munich Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Bostock, ClassicO, 1999 * Symphony No 2, Symphony No 4, ''Knight in Armour'', ''Song for Orchestra''. BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Rumon Gamba, Chandos, 2018 * Symphony No 3, Oboe Concerto, ''Chanticleer'', ''Death on the Pale Horse''. BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Rumon Gamba, Chandos, 2022 * Symphony No 3. BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ruth Gipps, broadcast 29 October 1969 * Symphony No 3. BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rumon Gamba, broadcast 9 October 2020 * Symphony No 5, Violin Concerto, ''Leviathan''. BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba. Chandos CHAN20319 (2025) * Symphony No 5. London Repertoire Orchestra, conducted by Ruth Gipps, recording of a performance given in 1983. * Violin Sonata, ''Rhapsody'' for violin and piano, ''Evocation''. Patrick Wastnage (violin), Elizabeth Dunn (piano).Guild GMCD7827 (2022)Guild GMCD7827, reviewed at ''MusicWeb International''
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References

External links

Classical Music on the Web: Obituary of Ruth Gipps

Seattle Philharmonic: U.S. premiere of the Symphony No 2

Christina Rossetti in Music: Ruth Gipp's Goblin Market (1954)

BBC ''Composer of the Week'', 8–12 March 2021
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gipps, Ruth 1921 births 1999 deaths 20th-century English classical composers 20th-century English classical pianists 20th-century English conductors (music) 20th-century English women composers English women classical composers English classical oboists Academics of the Royal College of Music Alumni of the Royal College of Music Alumni of Durham University Musicians from Sussex People from Bexhill-on-Sea Pupils of Ralph Vaughan Williams British women conductors (music) Women oboists People from Framfield 20th-century English women pianists Members of the Order of the British Empire