Former Members of the London Symphony Orchestra

Former Members

Download: Former Members of the LSO (PDF)

The players included in this list are those who were Members of the LSO from its inception in 1904. It does not include current Members of the Orchestra or those freelance musicians who have played with the Orchestra as ‘extras’.

The list has been compiled from various sources – share registers and certificates, concert programmes, session attendance sheets, and correspondence. We have endeavoured to present the information as accurately as possible.

If there are any errors or omissions, please advise Libby Rice, LSO Archivist at libby.rice@lso.co.uk.

The list is presented in alphabetical order.

Players Emeritus

Listed below are former players who served with the LSO as Full Members for 20 years or more, and their years of service.
(Deceased players are listed on the Former Members spreadsheet which can be viewed from the link above).

Key

* Served on the LSO Board of Directors
** Served as Vice Chairman of the LSO Board
*** Served as Chairman of the LSO Board

Principals Emeritus

30+ Years

Lennox MacKenzie Sub-Leader (38)***
Warwick Hill Second Violin (38)
Robert Bourton Bassoon (37)*
Kurt-Hans Goedicke Timpani (36)**
Christine Pendrill Cor Anglais (36)*
Andrew Marriner Clarinet (34)*
Edward Vanderspar Viola (32)
Martin Gatt Bassoon (31)
Frank Mathison Bass Trombone (30)

20+ Years

Patrick Harrild Tuba (29)***
Carmine Lauri Co-Leader (27)
Tim Hugh Cello (24)
David Alberman Second Violin (25)***
Thomas Martin Double Bass (25)
Paul Silverthorne Viola (25)
Francis Nolan Piccolo (24)
John Alley Keyboard (21)
Paul Edmund-Davies Flute (20)

Members Emeritus

40+ Years

Colin Renwick First Violin (43)
Ray Northcott Percussion (41)
Noel Bradshaw Cello (40)*
Jennifer Brown Cello (40)

30+ Years

Nigel Broadbent First Violin (38)*
Gerald Newson Double Bass (38)**
Neil Watson Co-Principal Second Violin (38)
Francis Saunders Cello (37)*
Ray Adams Sub-Principal Cello (36)*
Sir Clive Gillinson Cello & Managing Director (35)*
Richard Holttum Viola (35)
Hilary Jones Cello (35)
Peter Norriss Viola (33)*
Jonathan Welch Viola (33)
Colin Paris Co-Principal Double Bass (33)**
Matthew Gibson Double Bass (32)**
Jonathan Lipton Horn (32)*
John Lawley Oboe (31)***

20+ Years

Brian Clarke Viola (29)
Michael Humphrey Violin (29)
Stephen Rowlinson Violin (28)
Karen Vaughan Co-Principal Harp (28)*
Nicholas Worters Sub-Principal Double Bass (28)*
Eric Crees Co-Principal Trombone (27)*
Dominic Morgan Bassoon (27)
Ian Rhodes Violin (25)
David Goodall Violin (25)
Keith Glossop Cello (23)
James Maynard Trombone (23)
Mary Bergin Cello (22)
Robert Clark Violin (22)
Martin Parry Flute (22)
Joyce Nixon Violin (22)*
Nicholas Gethin Cello (21)
Gerald Ruddock Trumpet (21)**
Rod McGrath Co-Principal Cello (20)*

Presidents

Thomas Evelyn Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Waldon 1920–30s
Sir William Walton 1948–57
W Gordon Walker 1950–54 (Hon Vice President)
Sir Arthur Bliss 1958–74
Dr Karl Bohm 1977–81
Leonard Bernstein 1987–90
Sir Colin Davis 2007–13

Principal Conductors

Hans Richter 1904–11
Sir Edward Elgar 1911–12
Arthur Nikisch 1912–14
Sir Thomas Beecham 1915–16
Albert Coates 1919–22
Willem Mengelberg 1930–31
Sir Hamilton Harty 1932–35
Josef Krips 1950–54
Pierre Monteux 1961–64
Istvan Kertesz 1965–68
Andre Previn 1968–79
Claudio Abbado 1979–88
Michael Tilson Thomas 1988–95
Sir Colin Davis 1995–2006
Valery Gergiev 2006–15

Leaders

Arthur W Payne 1904–12
William H Reed 1912–36
George Stratton 1937–52
Thomas Matthews 1953
Granville Jones 1954–55
Hugh Maguire 1956–61
Erich Gruenberg 1962–65
John Georgiadis 1965–72
John Brown 1973–76
John Georgiadis/Neville Taweel 1977–78
John Georgiadis/Richard Studt 1978–79
Michael Davis 1979–86
Alexander Barantschik 1989–2001
Gordan Nikolitch 1995–2010
Roman Simovic/Gordan Nikolitch 2010–17

Chairs

Ellis Roberts 1905–09 Violin
Edwin F James 1909–21 Bassoon
Henri van der Meerschen 1922–32 Horn
W H Reed 1932–42 Leader
Gordon Walker 1945–49 Flute/Piccolo
Harry Dugarde 1949–60 Cello
Lowry Sanders 1961–62 Principal Piccolo
Barry Tuckwell 1962–67 Principal Horn
Jack Steadman 1968–70 Violin
Stuart Knussen 1970–71 Principal Double Bass
Howard Snell 1971–75 Principal Trumpet
Anthony Camden 1975–87 Principal Oboe
Terry Morton 1987–88 Violin
Lennox Mackenzie 1988–92 Violin
John Lawley 1992–99 Oboe
Jonathan Vaughan 1999–2002 Double Bass
Timothy Lines 2002–2003 Principal Clarinet
Patrick Harrild 2003–2004 Principal Tuba
Lennox Mackenzie 2004–2016 Sub-Leader, First Violin
Gareth Davies 2016–2019 Principal Flute
David Alberman 2019–2023 Principal Second Violin

Managing Directors / Secretaries

Thomas Busby 1904–24 Horn
Bertram Jones 1924–29 Violin
Arthur Maney 1929–35 Cello
W G Wood 1935–44 Double Bass
Gordon Walker 1945–48 Flute/Piccolo
Desmond Wrench 1948-49
John Cruft 1949–59 Cor Anglais
Ernest Fleischmann 1959–67
Harold Lawrence 1968–73
John Boyden 1974–75
Michael Kaye 1975–79
Peter Hemmings 1980–84
Clive Gillinson 1984–2005 Cello

Header image © Igor Emmerich