Ian Julier

Although studying modern languages with a degree in French and English from University College, London (1972-76), MUSIC has been a passion and sustenance since early childhood. Having turned down a posting with the Foreign Office at the 11th hour, I went on to spend the next 27 years at Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers managing music editorial and production for their contemporary composer and back catalogue lists before moving to administer music resources and the performance library at Glyndebourne Opera from 2004-2018.

They were both dream appointments, so a highlight from each: having worked with Anthony Payne on his “elaboration of the sketches” for Elgar’s Symphony No.3 at B&H, it was an unforgettable experience to attend the very first rehearsal with Andrew Davis conducting the BBC SO at Maida Vale Studios in 1997 and witness the musicians begin to straighten their backs and move forward in their seats as the chemistry of Elgar and Payne took hold. Then to work with Brett Dean, a composer I’d previously worked with at B&H, on the preparation and realisation of his new opera Hamlet for Glyndebourne between 2015 and 2017 remains a uniquely collaborative and creative musical journey.

Writing on music started back in the 1980s. Initially CD reviews, liner notes and articles for Classic CD, International Record Review, International Piano Quarterly, Classic Record Collector and Naxos Historical. This broadened out to promotion material for B&H and Glyndebourne, where I also created and operated in performance many of the English translations for the supertitle scripts of their new productions. Since taking leave of regular artistic employment, things have been fallow on the creative writing front, so I’m very much looking forward to contributing to Music Web International.

Ian Julier

10 Feb 2021