Obituaries and marriages
Sir Colin Davis
Obituaries RCM alumnus and renowned conductor Sir Colin Davis died on Sunday 14 April. Sir Colin Davis made an amazing contribution to British musical life, working with many of the world’s leading orchestras. He was Principal Conductor and President of the London Symphony Orchestra, and internationally renowned for his interpretations of Mozart, Sibelius and Berlioz. Sir Colin was a Foundation Scholar at the RCM from September 1944 to July 1946. He studied clarinet with Frederick Thurston, as well as the piano, and received an ARCM in Clarinet Solo in December 1945. In 1946 he was awarded the E F James Prize. His studies were interrupted by a period of National Service with the band of the Household Cavalry, but he re-entered the RCM in April 1948 thanks to an award granted by the Minister of Education. He left in July 1949, and was awarded the FRCM in 1969. You can read a full obituary and leave a message of condolence on the London Symphony Orchestra website at www.lso.co.uk RCM alumnus, former professor and RCM Fellow Stephen Dodgson has died. Stephen was a student at the RCM from April 1947 to July 1949. His principal instrument was horn, which he studied with Frank Probyn, but he described his second study of composition – which he initially took with R O Morris and then with Patrick Hadley – as his “real incentive”. He won two composition prizes: the Cobbett Memorial Prize in 1948 for his Fantasy String Quartet and the Sullivan Prize in 1949. He also won an Octavia Travelling Scholarship in 22
the summer of 1949, enabling him to visit Italy. In 1956 he returned to the RCM as a teacher and conductor of the Junior Orchestra. He was later appointed to the professorial staff, and taught composition and theory from September 1965 until he retired in July 1982 to devote more time to composition. He was awarded the FRCM in 1981. A special memorial concert for Stephen Dodgson will be held on Wednesday 23 October at the RCM. Further details will be available on the RCM website from 21 August when the autumn season goes on sale.
making music soon led him to establish duo and chamber music partnerships with many of the RCM’s most gifted students. Alongside his piano playing, he also maintained an active profile as an orchestral violinist and developed an interest in conducting, under the guidance of Harvey Phillips, Vernon Handley and Norman del Mar. John gained the ARCM Diploma in Piano Performing in April 1971 and the GRSM in July of that year. His graduation was marked by the award of several RCM prizes including the Tagore Gold Medal. Two years of Postgraduate study saw the award of the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Medal, the Sir Adrian Boult Conducting Prize and great acclaim as assistant conductor to Harvey Phillips on the RCM Chamber Orchestra’s European Tour. Appointed to the RCM Staff by David Willcocks in 1974, John taught Piano Accompaniment, coached chamber music and was a staff conductor, subsequently becoming Head of Orchestral Studies and Conducting in 1989. At the time of his death, John was teaching piano at Lancing College and was an invaluable member of the team of official accompanists for RCM auditions.
Marriages Alumni Alan Chu and Fabiola Wong married on New Year’s Eve 2012 in Hong Kong after meeting each other in London eight years ago.
John Forster
RCM alumnus and former professor John Forster has died. He joined the RCM in 1968 to study piano with Cyril Smith and violin with Felix Kok. John’s pianistic ability, combined with great musicianship, integrity and sheer love of
Alan Chu and Fabiola Wong