The Royal Ballet & Opera has announced the death of David Gowland, who passed away on August 9, 2026 after a long battle with cancer.

In a statement, the company said, “The Royal Opera is deeply saddened to hear of the death of David Gowland, Artistic Director of the Jette Parker Artists Programme, at the age of 63. As the Artistic Director of the JPA Programme from 2001 until 2026, David nurtured the careers of over 150 artists.”

Born in Stockport in 1963, Gowland began learning the piano at age four and continued his secondary education at the comprehensive Ellon Academy. In 1980 he enrolled into the Royal College of Music and played Principal Clarinet with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. He also played the piano in a televised BBC Prom of Stravinsky’s “Petrushka” with the National Youth Orchestra.

After graduating, he joined the National Opera Studio in 1984 and began hie association with the Royal Ballet & Opera in in 1985 as a last-minute stint as a répétiteur on a production of Massenet’s “Werther.”

At the age of 25, Gowland was appointed Head of Music at the Grand Théâtre de Genève  where he remained for seven years and then worked with the Festival Aix-en-Provence and Glyndebourne Festival.

In 2001, he was invited to join the music staff at the Royal Opera House but ended up becoming Artistic Director of the Jette Parker Artists Programme from its foundation in 2001 until 2026. In that position he was instrumental in nurturing the careers of over 150 singers, conductors, directors and répétiteurs.