Alexander Gibson (conductor)

Sir Alexander Gibson, CBE (February 11, 1926 - January 14, 1995) was an orchestral and opera music director and conductor.

He was born 1926 in the town of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

He studied music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow, London, Salzburg and Siena, Italy. He was appointed in 1957 as the youngest Musical Director of Sadlers Wells (English National Opera).

Returning to Glasgow, in 1959 he became the first Scottish principal conductor and Artistic Director of the (Royal) Scottish National Orchestra, a post he held until 1984, to date longer than any other conductor. From 1981 to 1983 he was also Principal Guest Conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Gibson founded Scottish Opera in 1962 and was Music Director until 1986. In 1987, Gibson was appointed Conductor Laureate of Scottish Opera and held this title for the remainder of his life.

He was made a CBE in 1967, was knighted in 1977 and became President of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where, in his memory, the Alexander Gibson School of Opera was opened in 1998, the first purpose built opera school in Great Britain.

Gibson had a particular affinity to Scandinavian music, particularly Sibelius (whose symphonies he recorded several times) and Carl Nielsen.

Sir Alexander Gibson is also commemorated by a bust in foyer of the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, home of Scottish Opera.

External links

• Biography (PDF file)

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