Handley, Vernon (George)
Handley, Vernon (George)
Handley, Vernon (George), admirable English conductor; b. London, Nov. 11, 1930. He was educated at Balliol Coll., Oxford, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He made his debut with the Bournemouth Sym. Orch. in 1961. From 1962 to 1983 he was principal conductor of the Guildford Phil. He was also a prof, at the Royal Coll. of Music in London (1966–72). In 1982 he was appointed assoc. conductor of the London Phil. In 1983 he became principal guest conductor of the BBC Scottish Sym. Orch. in Glasgow. He was principal conductor of the Ulster Orch. in Belfast (1985–89) and the Malmö Sym. Orch. (1985–91). From 1989 to 1994 he was principal guest conductor of the Royal Liverpool Phil, and also of the Melbourne Sym. Orch. from 1993 to 1995. He was chief conductor of the West Australian Sym. Orch. in Perth from 1994 to 1996. Handley has won particular distinction for his championship of British music.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire