Rae Jenkins
Rae Jenkins | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Henry Horatio Jenkins |
| Born | 19 April 1903 |
| Died | 29 March 1985 (aged 81) |
| Genres | Light music |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor |
| Instrument(s) | Violin |
Rae Jenkins MBE FRAM, born Henry Horatio Jenkins[1] (19 April 1903[1] – 29 March 1985[2]) was a Welsh violinist and later conductor of light music, notably with the BBC Midland Light Orchestra (1942–1946),[3] the BBC Variety Orchestra (from 1946), and as principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra (1950–1965).[4][5] In 1955 Hubert Clifford, Head of Light Music at the BBC, called Jenkins "the most gifted and experienced conductor of light music in the country".[6]
Jenkins was born at Ammanford in 1903,[4][7] the son of a coal miner.[3] Given a violin when four years old, he was first violin in his local theatre orchestra by the age of eleven.[3] He subsequently attended the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied viola under Lionel Tertis and conducting under Sir Henry Wood.[8]
He worked on radio programmes, including It's That Man Again (ITMA). He was also an authority on music of gypsy origin.[3]
He appeared as a castaway on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 6 September 1965.[9] He was a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM).
A portrait of Jenkins was painted by William Redgrave. A plaque in Ammanford Town Hall commemorates him. It reads:
In loving memory of
Rae Jenkins M.B.E. F.R.A.M.
1903–1985 Ammanford
born musician who devoted
his life to music
conductor of B.B.C. Midland, Variety and
Welsh Orchestras
Biography
- Johns-Davies, Jayne Marilyn (2006). Rae Jenkins FRAM, MBE: the life story of Welsh conductor and musician 1903 to 1985.
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References
- ^ a b Johns-Davies 2006, p. 7
- ^ Johns-Davies 2006, p. 28
- ^ a b c d "The Pit Boy at the BBC" (PDF). The Children's Newspaper. 20 April 1946. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ a b Griffiths, Rhidian. "Walters, Irwyn Ranald (1902–1992)". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ "The BBC Midland Light Orchestra". Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ Johns-Davies 2006, pp. 22–3
- ^ Norman, Terry (14 January 2011). "Star the world forgot – twice". South Wales Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ^ Johns-Davies 2006, p. 11
- ^ "Desert Island Discs – Castaway : Rae Jenkins". BBC Online. BBC. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
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| National | |
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- 1903 births
- People from Ammanford
- 1985 deaths
- 20th-century British conductors (music)
- Welsh conductors (music)
- British male conductors (music)
- BBC people
- Light music composers
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music
- 20th-century British male musicians
- Welsh people stubs