Norwich Philharmonic Society

BIOGRAPHIES

Currently, the Norwich Philharmonic Society Orchestra conductor is Julian Webb and the Choir conductor is David Dunnett.

Julian Webb

In the early part of his career, Julian Webb gained experience as a violinist in many youth and student orchestras, including the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the International Youth Orchestra, which performed at the Brussels 'Exposition' in 1958. He studied the violin with Leonard Hirsch and conducting with Ernest Read and George Hurst. While reading music at Cambridge University he played in a variety of orchestras and ensembles, but also launched his conducting career, forming, for example, an orchestra that he took on an eight-concert tour of West Germany.

After a short spell in public school teaching, Julian moved to the University of Manchester where his appointment within the Music Department combined the twin roles of academic lecturer and violinist in the newly-created resident chamber ensemble. During his time in Manchester he broadcast frequently with this ensemble as well as with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, the Halle and the Manchester Mozart Orchestra.

Since coming to Norwich in 1966 as Lecturer in Music at the University of East Anglia, he has made regular appearances as conductor, not only with the University Orchestra (until his early retirement in 1996) but also with various professional orchestras including the English Chamber, Northern Sinfonia, London Bach and Wren Symphony Orchestra of London. In 1967 he formed the Norwich Sinfonia, a semi-professional chamber orchestra which he led or conducted over a period of some six years, appearing at the Norfolk and Norwich Triennial Festival and for the Cathedral Recitals Society. He also formed the University String Quartet, giving regular performances with them, and as a recitalist, in Norwich and in the region until 1973. Julian has a wide experience of examining and has been a Performance Assessor for both the Arts Council of England and Eastern Arts; he has adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and in recent years has written (with Peter Aston) three books on music theory for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In 1977-78 he was a visiting professor (Chamber Music) at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was Honorary Music Director of Norwich-based Academy of St. Thomas from 1983-90, with whom he is currently playing as a violinist.

Julian was invited to join the Norwich Philharmonic Society in 1969 and was appointed Orchestral Conductor in 1971. He has conducted more than 90 concerts for the Society, covering much of the standard orchestral repertoire of the 19th and early 20th Centuries. He has also enjoyed the occasional opportunity to conduct the combined Chorus and Orchestra in works such as Beethoven's Choral Symphony and Verdi's Aida.

David Dunnett

David Dunnett was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Clare College, Cambridge assisting Tim Brown and studying the organ with David Sanger.

He continued with David Sanger at the Royal Academy of Music and also spent a year as Organist of Marylebone Parish Church. He worked in the United States as Director of Chapel Music and Staff Accompanist at the College of Wooster, Ohio, before becoming Assistant Director of Music as Uppingham School in 1985. He was Conductor of the Uppingham Choral Society and combined teaching with freelance work as an organist and accompanist. During 1989 he was Acting Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge, and Director of the Cambridge University Consort of Voices touring Italy and Sweden.

He became Sub-Organist at Winchester Cathedral in November 1991 and subsequently performed with Winchester Choir in concerts, broadcasts, recordings and tours to Brazil, USA and Australia. He assisted David Hill with the Waynflete Singers, taught at Southampton University and is a previous conductor of the Southampton University Chamber Choir and the Winchester Music Club. He is a busy organ recitalist both here and abroad and regular accompanist for singers and instrumentalists on the organ, harpsichord and piano, working in a variety of styles both classical and jazz. He became Organist and Master of the Music at Norwich Cathedral in January 1996, a post which also involves working with the Norwich Philharmonic Society and the University of East Anglia. He is married with two young sons and his interests include sport and aircraft.