Kenneth Alwyn

Kenneth Alwyn (born Kenneth Alwyn Wetherell, 28 July 1925) is an English conductor, composer and writer. Described by BBC Radio 3 as "one of the great British musical directors", Alwyn is known for his many recordings, including with the London Symphony Orchestra on Decca’s first stereophonic recording of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. He is also known for his long association with BBC Radio 2’s orchestral live music programme Friday Night is Music Night, appearing for thirty years as a conductor and presenter, and for his contribution to British musical theatre as a prolific musical director in the 1950s and 1960s. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music and is married to the actress Mary Law.

Alwyn was born in Croydon, England and attended the John Ruskin Boys’ Central School (now known as John Ruskin College). After wartime service with the Royal Air Force, Alwyn joined the Royal Academy of Music (1947-1951), where he studied singing, viola and organ (with C. H. Trevor) and won the Manns Memorial Prize for conducting in 1952. He was the Sub-Professor of Organ and opera coach and founded the RAM Madrigal Choir.

After a period as a Colonial Officer working with Radio Malaya, Singapore and a post as conductor with the Royal Wellington Choral Union in Wellington, New Zealand in 1952, Alwyn returned to England.

In 1952 Alwyn joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet (now known as the Birmingham Royal Ballet) as a conductor. In 1957, he moved to the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he shared the rostrum with Malcolm Sargent, Ernest Ansermet, Arthur Bliss, William Walton, Hans Werner Henze and Benjamin Britten, from whom he took over Britten’s original production of The Prince of the Pagodas. It received its premiere on 1 January 1957. Alwyn also served as musical director of the Western Theatre Ballet (now known as the Scottish Ballet) from 1967-1969.

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