John Georgiadis facts for kids

John Alexander Georgiadis (born July 17, 1939 – died January 5, 2021) was a talented British musician. He was famous for playing the violin and leading orchestras as a conductor. He was a very important part of the London Symphony Orchestra for many years. He also taught music and helped set up orchestras in other countries.

Growing Up with Music

John Georgiadis was born in Southend-on-Sea, England, on July 17, 1939. He grew up in a town nearby called Laindon. His dad, Alec, played the violin as a hobby and encouraged John to start playing when he was just six years old.

When John was a child, his family went on holiday to Austria. There, they met a famous musician named Willi Boskovsky. Later, when Boskovsky visited England, he stayed with the Georgiadis family and gave young John violin lessons.

John studied music at the Royal Academy of Music. He learned from great teachers like Frederick Grinke and René Benedetti.

A Career in Music

In the late 1950s, John Georgiadis started his professional music journey. He became the lead violinist, also known as the Concert Leader, for the Kensington Symphony Orchestra.

Leading Orchestras

In 1963, John became the Concert Leader for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, in 1965, he joined the famous London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) as their Concert Leader. He stayed with the LSO until 1973. During this time, he performed important violin concertos, including the first English performance of the Menotti Violin Concerto.

In 1972, John helped create a group called the London Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble. He was the musical director of this group.

Conducting and Teaching

In 1974, John left the LSO for a short time. He began teaching with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. This is where he started his career as a conductor, leading orchestras instead of just playing the violin.

He returned to the London Symphony Orchestra in 1977 as Concert Leader. Here, he worked closely with the famous conductor Sergiu Celibidache for eight years. John also began conducting the LSO himself. He conducted them in a special New Year's Day concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1977. He continued to conduct in the "Viennese style," like his mentor Willi Boskovsky, until 2015.

Even after leaving the LSO for a second time in 1979, John often returned as a guest soloist or conductor. He also filmed the orchestra's tours with his movie camera.

Other Musical Roles

From 1982 to 1984, John was the music director for the Bristol Sinfonia. For 11 years, starting in 1982, he was also the main conductor of the Essex Youth Orchestra.

In 1987, he joined the Gabrieli Quartet as the first violinist. He played with them until 1990. From 1989 to 1992, he was the Director of Orchestral Studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he had studied. During this time, he also guest conducted the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Australia.

In 1992, the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra asked him to join them. By 1994, he became their music director and conductor. He also became a regular guest conductor for the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, an orchestra he helped to establish. He continued to guest conduct orchestras all over the world.

John Georgiadis toured as a duet with Andy Peebles from 1988 to 1999. He stopped playing music professionally in the early 2000s. In 1999, he helped complete a music piece called The Prelude Of Siam by Thai composer Prasidh Silapabanleng.

John was an honorary member of the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain. He helped manage their archives and library.

On Screen and in Books

In 1979, John Georgiadis appeared as a judge on a TV show called Fanfare for Young Musicians.

In 2013, he acted in the British film Quartet. He played the part of Bill, a member of the string section in the movie.

John wrote a book about his life called Bow to Baton: A Leader’s Life, which came out in 2019.

Recordings

John Georgiadis made many recordings throughout his career. These included violin solos, chamber music with groups like the London Virtuosi, and recordings where he conducted orchestras. He often recorded music by the Strauss family, known for their waltzes and lively pieces.

His Personal Life

John Georgiadis was born to his parents, Alec and Pat, in 1939. He enjoyed building websites as a hobby. He even redesigned the Deal Festival site and created websites for the Viennese Music Library and Musicians Gallery.

In 1961, John married Susan Salter, who was a viola player and pianist. They often toured and recorded music together, especially Gypsy music. They had three children. Susan passed away in 2006. Later, John married his second wife, Monica Mollerstrom. They lived in the town of Deal.

In 2019, John had surgery for a brain tumor. He passed away on January 5, 2021.