It was always the greatest pleasure to work with you and the Orchestra, John. The atmosphere of friendliness, the sheer quality of playing and the sensitivity of the accompaniment were every singer’s dream.
Dame Janet Baker
John Lubbock is well known as OSJ’s Artistic Director. He began his musical career as a chorister at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and later went on to sing with the London Symphony Chorus, the John Alldis Choir and was a member of the Swingle Singers. John studied conducting under the great Romanian, Sergiu Celibidache, and has appeared as guest conductor with many leading UK orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony, the London Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, Hallé, London Mozart Players, Manchester Camerata and Northern Sinfonia. International engagements have included orchestras in Ireland, throughout continental Europe, in Argentina and in Canada.
John founded OSJ in 1967, whilst still a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, with the aim of building an orchestra that would serve the community, not just add to the ‘music scene’. This community bias has been the main drive behind his tireless enthusiasm and life-long commitment to making music accessible to those who might otherwise have had little or no musical experience. He has single-handedly gathered around him a group of distinguished musicians who are not only outstanding performers but share his ethos for making music of the highest quality accessible to people of all ages, from all walks of life.
John has received wide recognition for his work with young people. He was Director of the IAPS Orchestra, started by Benjamin Britten, for children from British preparatory schools, and has also been Director of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. John works with youth orchestras at the Royal Academy of Music, Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and went on a highly acclaimed tour of Argentina with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra in 1999. John plays an active part in OSJ Offstage, the Orchestra’s thriving programme of education and community activities.
In February 2000, he conducted OSJ’s recordings with the world-renowned rock band, Radiohead for its albums Kid A and Amnesiac, which were released in October 2000 and June 2001 respectively.
John received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Music in July 1999.
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Date : March 2008
Great conductors are rare animals that display special qualities: humility before their art; a consummate knowledge of their subject; the ability to communicate with the musicians on an equal footing, not from above; passion for the sake of music and not for show; and the ability to create a musical environment where musical shape, colour and mood take precedence over simply beating time, playing louder or softer or just plain old ‘getting it together’! It is always a musical highlight to work with John.
Paul Archibald, Trumpet