A LIMERICK man has received a major British honour from King Charles for his services as Director and Chairman of two top classical music institutions in the United Kingdom.
At an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning, Lisnagry native John Gilhooly received his Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal from the King.
The 49-year-old Limerick man is Director of Wigmore Hall, one of the world’s leading centres for the performance of chamber music and song, and Chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society since 2010.
After studying history and politics at UCD, he trained as a tenor under the renowned teacher Veronica Dunne who died last year.
He joined Wigmore Hall as chief executive in 2000, becoming director five years later making him then the youngest leader of any of the world’s great concert halls.
Under Gilhooly’s leadership, Wigmore Hall was the first UK venue to present live classical concerts after the first Covid lockdown ended in June 2020. His tenure has seen the Wigmore Hall programme grow to the biggest classical music and song series in the world with over 500 events annually.
In an interview with performing arts magazine ‘Final Note’, he explained how his early experiences in Limerick influenced his career in classical music
“My first teacher, Jean Holmes at the Limerick School of Music, took me on when my voice broke around the age of 14, instilling in me a love of music and a strong technique,” he recalled.
“From my earliest years, the importance of quality was instilled and I was very fortunate in my earliest musical experiences.
“John Ruddock was a local promoter in Limerick during my childhood, and through the efforts of himself and his wife Doreen, we heard András Schiff, the Takács Quartet, Michael Collins, Imogen Cooper, Wolfgang Holzmair and even Angela Gheorghiu, before anybody knew who she was!
“Chamber music and opera, as well as traditional Irish music, were central to my upbringing. So it’s an odd mix. The things I love most of all stem from my youth: Irish language, literature, opera, chamber music and song – and I am very proud that they all took root in Limerick.
“Some people decided to malign our city, but wonderful things happened and still happen there. Everything I do at the hall is about quality and quality control, and had I not heard music of the highest calibre at such an early age, I don’t think I would be in a position to make the musical judgements I do on a daily basis”.
