Thomas Matthews

Conductor from United Kingdom
1908 (unsure) -

Thomas Matthews was an English violinist and conductor. Sources differ on his birth: a 1949 profile in Violinists of Today gives 9 May 1907 in Birkenhead, while family records give 1908 in Liverpool.

He joined the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at about fifteen and soon afterwards the Hallé Orchestra, where he became deputy leader, before leaving orchestral work in 1936 to concentrate on solo playing. He later led the Liverpool Philharmonic and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. As leader of the London Philharmonic he was the soloist in the first British performance of Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto at the Queen's Hall in 1941, conducted by Basil Cameron. He also taught as head professor of violin at the Royal Manchester College of Music.

He then turned to conducting and worked in Australia in the 1960s, conducting the Victorian Symphony Orchestra in 1962 and serving as chief conductor of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1968, succeeding Kenneth Murison Bourn. He was married to the Australian pianist Eileen Ralph (1906-1995). Source: Rondo DB

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