Alan Hazeldine 1948-2008

From the Corinthian Chamber Orchestra:

Originally trained as a pianist, Alan Hazeldine was a Governors' Recital Prize winner in his final year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He then went on to study conducting having won a place on the Advanced Conducting Course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, where he studied under Vilem Tausky and won both the Kapsalis Cup for conducting and the Principal's Conducting Prize. On completion of his studies he won a British Council scholarship and went to Bulgaria, where he studied with Konstantin Iliev, and to Italy where he worked with Sergiu Celibidache.

For many years he taught at the Guildhall School where he organised the conducting course which has, over the years, produced some fine young conductors who have gone on to enjoy successful professional careers.

Whilst at the Guildhall he conducted the first European performance of Allegro by Rogers and Hart, and this led to an invitation to join the conducting staff of the London production of Jesus Christ Superstar. His work for the stage has included performances for both Scottish Ballet (for whom he was guest musical director) and English National Ballet. He has also worked with a wide variety of professional groups including the English Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Alan worked extensively in Bulgaria, and returned several times to work with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he gave the first performance in Eastern Europe of the Sixth Symphony by Vaughan Williams, and was Permanent Guest Conductor of the Vratsa Symphony Orchestra.

He was the founding Musical Director of the Corinthian Chamber Orchestra, which developed under his gentle guidance until his death in November 2008.

Read the obituary for Alan in The Times