Obituary: Conductor & Composer Elgar Howarth Dies at 89

By Francisco Salazar

On Jan. 13, 2025, conductor Elgar Howarth died at the age of 89.

Born on Nov. 4, 1935 Cannock, Staffordshire, Howarth’s father was an engineer who also conducted the Barton Hall Works Band, in which Elgar played cornet and his brother Stanford trombone.

He went to the University of Manchester and the Royal Manchester College of Music and together with his classmates he formed New Music Manchester, a group dedicated to the performance of new music.

From there, the burgeoning artist went on to serve in the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and, following that, he began his career in the trumpet section of the Royal Opera orchestra. He was also principal trumpet in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from 1964 to 1970 as well as with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, the Nash Ensemble and the London Sinfonietta.

Howarth shifted to the podium and made his conducting debut with the London Sinfonietta on tour in Italy in 1969. His operatic debut came in 1973 with “The Rake’s Progress” for the Royal Northern College of Music at Sadler’s Wells.

A champion of new work, Howarth would conduct the premiere of Ligetti’s “Le Grand Macabre” at the Royal Swedish Opera in 1978 and conducted the work in Hamburg, Paris, and London. He later led the premieres of four operas by Harrison Birtwistle, including “The Mask of Orpheus” at the ENO; “Yan Tan Tethera” at the Opera Factory; “Gawain” at the Royal Opera House; and “The Second Mrs Kong” at Glyndebourne. He also conducted the the first performance of “Phaeton” by Alan Ridout.

Additionally, his career led to debuts at Glyndebourne and the Australian Opera and from 185-89, he was the Principal Guest Conductor of Opera North, where he led the UK premiere of Carl Nielsen’s “Maskarade” and the premiere of the Mozart pasticcio “The Jewel Box.”

Outside of his operatic performances, Howarth appeared at the Proms in 1970 and with the  London Sinfonietta and London Philharmonic, many times.

Throughout his career, the British maestro was dedicated to contemporary music conducting such works as “Domination of Black” by Robin Holloway, “Inner Light 2” by Jonathan Harvey, “La Terre est un home” by Brian Ferneyhough, “Nadira” by Philippe Capdenat, and “Tom-a-Bedlam” by Detlev Müller-Siemens

Howarth also had a career as a composer and former trumpet player and wrote mainly for brass instruments.

For his work Howarth obtained numerous awards including the Walter Willson Cobbett Medal in 1992, and the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

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