Ivor Bolton (Harpsichord, Conductor)

Born: 1958 - Blackrod, Lancashire, England

The English harpsichordist and conductor, Ivor Bolton, was educated at Clare College and the Royal College of Music, followed by a year at the National Opera Studio which coincided with his appointment as conductor of the Schola Cantorum of Oxford.

Ivor Bolton is established as one of Britain's most active and versatile conductors, both in opera and concert - in repertoire ranging from Baroque to Contemporary. In 1984 he founded the St. James's Baroque Players who have now established themselves, under his direction, as one of the most accomplished orchestras in their field, particularly through the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music at St. James's Piccadilly, of which he is the Music Director.

Since 1982 Ivor Bolton has been closely associated with Glyndebourne and became Music Director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera in 1992. For two seasons he was also Music Director of English Touring Opera. In addition he has conducted in many great opera houses as far afield as Paris, Munich, Bologna, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Sydney.

In the concert field, Ivor Bolton has enjoyed a regular and fruitful relationship with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra which has led to his appointment as Principal Conductor. He has also conducted many of the other front-rank orchestras, in Britain, Europe and Canada. With the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Xue-Wei he has recorded the Brahms and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos.

Ivor Bolton is also a highly distinguished harpsichord player, with a fine disc of Bach Concerto Transcriptions to his credit.

Source: Sanctuary Classics Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (February 2007)

Ivor Bolton: Short Biography | Recordings of Instrumental & Vocal Works

Links to other Sites

Sanctuary Classics - Artist Biographie: Ivor Bolton
Ingpen & Williams: Ivor Bolton

Mozarteum Orchestra Of Salzburg: Ivor Bolton