Sir Philip Ledger 12 December 1937 - 18 November 2012
Sir Philip was born in Bexhill-on-Sea in 1937 and educated at King's College, Cambridge. When appointed Master of the Music at Chelmsford Cathedral in 1961, he became the youngest Cathedral Organist in the country. In 1965 he took up the post of Director of Music at the University of East Anglia where he was also Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Music and responsible for the establishment of an award-winning building for the University’s Music Centre, opened in 1973. In 1968 he became an Artistic Director of the Aldeburgh Festival with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, conducting at the Snape Maltings on many occasions including the opening concert after its rebuilding, and playing in first performances of works by Britten.
He was Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge from 1974-1982 and Conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society from 1973-1982. During his years in Cambridge, he directed the Choir of King’s College in the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, made an extensive range of recordings and took the Choir to the USA, Australia, and Japan for the first time.
He was subsequently Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama from 1982-2001 where in 1988 new premises for the Academy were opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
He was a noted organist and keyboard player and he also composed, arranged and edited music, particularly for choir. He conducted many leading orchestras throughout the United Kingdom, North America, and Asia, and was widely respected as a pianist, harpsichordist and organist. He made numerous successful recordings with artists such as Benjamin Britten, Dame Janet Baker, Paul Tortelier, Pinchas Zukerman and Robert Tear.
Sir Philip became Patron of the Norwich Philharmonic, following the death of our previous Patron, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and he came to Norwich in 2009 to conduct the Phil in the Norwich première of his own newly-composed, Requiem. Along with countless others, we remember him with gratitude and affection.