Kendall Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edgar Kendall Taylor
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Portrait of Edgar Kendall Taylor
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| Born | 27 July 1905 Sheffield, UK
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| Died | 5 December 1999 (aged 94) Wimbledon, London, UK
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| Nationality | British |
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| Known for | Concertos Broadcast on the BBC |
| Spouse(s) |
Mirjana Nikolic
(m. 1950) |
Edgar Kendall Taylor was a famous British pianist. He played piano concerts all over the world. In the United Kingdom, many people knew him from his concerts shown on the BBC. He also played music for soldiers during World War II. Besides being a performer, he was also a dedicated teacher.
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A Young Musical Start
Kendall Taylor was born in Sheffield, England, in 1905. He started playing music very early. When he was just 6 years old, he played his first concert. He performed with his father, Maurice Taylor, who was a well-known cellist.
His first time playing with a professional orchestra was at age 12. He played a difficult piece by Mozart. Kendall Taylor learned piano from Vera Dawson. She had been taught by Iwan Knorr, who studied with the famous composer Johannes Brahms.
In 1923, Kendall Taylor won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at the Royal College of Music (RCM). There, he learned piano from Herbert Fryer. He also studied how to compose music with Gustav Holst. And he learned how to lead an orchestra from Adrian Boult and Malcolm Sargent.
A Career on Stage
While still a student, Kendall Taylor played concertos with top British orchestras. These performances were even broadcast on the BBC.
In 1926, he played his first professional concert. It was at a famous event called the Proms. The conductor was Sir Henry Wood. Kendall Taylor played at the Proms 26 times as a solo pianist. Twice, he was the main performer for the 'Last Night of the Proms.'
In 1929, he became a piano professor at the RCM. He taught there for an amazing 63 years! He retired from teaching in 1993.
In 1938, he joined a music group called the Grinke piano trio. He played with violinist Frederick Grinke and cellist Florence Hooton. He also performed duos with them.
Music During Wartime
During World War II, Kendall Taylor played many concerts for soldiers. He traveled a lot, sometimes playing in several places each day. These concerts were organized by the Entertainments National Service Association.
Touring the World
After the war, Kendall Taylor went on many tours. He performed in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Southern Africa. He played with many of the world's best orchestras. He often included music by composers from the 20th century.
He also performed in Britain and Europe. He worked with famous conductors like Klemperor, Barbirolli, Boult, Sargent, and Colin Davis. Barbirolli even chose him to play with the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra in Vienna. Kendall Taylor often played new music by British composers.
Inspiring Future Musicians
Kendall Taylor was a professor at the RCM from 1929 until 1993. He also gave talks and lessons around the world. He helped judge music competitions and award prizes. Many of his students became very successful musicians.
Some of his well-known students include:
- Rose Goldblatt
- Ireneus Zuk
- Jan Latham-Koenig
- Yu Chun Ye
- Dusan Trbojevic
- Yonty Solomon
- Tony Hewitt
- Michael Redshaw
- Carl Rütti
- Enloc Wu
- Vanessa Latarche
- Andrew Ball
- Rudi Martinus van Dijk
- Kathryn Stott
- Piers Lane
- Howard Shelley
- Paul Stewart
- Hilary Macnamara
In his later years, he gave many special concerts combined with lectures. He often focused on the life and music of Beethoven. He even started a special prize for pianists at the RCM, named after Beethoven.
After Kendall Taylor passed away, a scholarship was created in his honor. The Kendall Taylor Award helps British pianists study at the RCM.
Family Life
Kendall Taylor was married twice. He met his second wife, Mirjana, in 1947 while on a concert tour. They were married for almost 50 years. Kendall Taylor had a daughter and a step-daughter. Both of them also studied music at the RCM. His two grandchildren are also professional musicians.
Later Years and Legacy
Kendall Taylor passed away on December 5, 1999, in Wimbledon, England.
He received many honors for his contributions to music:
- In 1982, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a special award from the British Queen.
- In 1982, he became President of EPTA (UK), a group for piano teachers.
- In 1993, he became the Founder President (UK) of the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe.
- He was also a Vice-President and Senior Professor of the Royal College of Music.
- He was an Honorary Professor of the Belgrade Music Academy.
- He was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.
Notable Recordings
Kendall Taylor made several recordings during his career. These include:
- Music by John Ireland, including the Phantasie Trio of 1908.
- Frank Bridge's Phantasy trio.
- Beethoven's trio in E flat Op 70 no 2.
- Stanford's trio.
- Dvořák's G major Sonatina Op 100 with Frederick Grinke.
- Mozart's Sonatas for violin and piano, also with Frederick Grinke.
- Beethoven's Sonatas for piano Op 109, Op 110, and Op 111.
Many other recordings from his broadcasts and live performances are kept in the BBC archive and the National Sound Archive at the British Library.
