The Haileybury Society is saddened to learn of the the death of Sir John Manduell, CBE (BF 42) on Wednesday 25 October, aged 89.

Born in Johannesburg in 1928, Sir John studied Haileybury from 1942 as a member of Bartle Frere and then at the University of Strasbourg, Jesus College, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music with Lennox Berkeley. He joined the BBC in 1956 as a producer, becoming Head of Music for the Midlands and East Anglia in 1961.

First Programme Director, Cheltenham Festival

During this period he became the BBC representative on the Cheltenham Festival Management Committee.  In 1964 he returned to London to plan and implement the new BBC Music Programme leaving the company in 1968 to become the first Director of Music at Lancaster University. In 1967 he was approached to become Cheltenham Festival’s first Programme Director; a post which he held from 1969 to 1994.

In June 1969 an advertisement was published for the role of Principal of a major new conservatoire to be established in Manchester: the Royal Northern College of Music, an amalgamation of the Royal Manchester College of Music (established by Sir Charles Hallé in 1898) and the Northern School of Music (which opened in 1920). Sir John applied and in 1973, when the RNCM officially opened its doors, he was at the helm.

Drive and energy

The late Michael Kennedy CBE recalled of the appointment: ‘The drive and energy which he brought to his work inspired staff and students from the start as did his determination that only the best would do for the College.’

Sir John was in post until his retirement in 1996 and remains to this day our longest serving Principal. Professor Linda Merrick said in tribute: ‘The RNCM family was deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Sir John Manduell, our inspiring Founding Principal. He was a man of extraordinary vision and talent and worked tirelessly to raise the profile of music and music education for so many people and organisations.

‘The staff, students and alumni of the College owe him a great deal, and our thoughts are with his wife Renna and family at this difficult time.’

Honours

A prolific composer and educator, Sir John was involved in setting up El Sistema in Venezuela, and served on the Boards of the British Council, Arts Council, Association of European Conservatoires, European Music Year, Northern Ballet, European Opera Centre and Covent Garden. He received a CBE in 1982, a Knighthood in 1989 and the Chevalier de L’ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1990. He has received Honorary Doctorates from Lancaster University, Manchester University and the all of the UK’s Royal Schools of Music.

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