Anti-academic is named professor at London’s Guildhall

Among pioneers of early instruments, Mahan Esfahani stands out as a vigorous disputant with the consensus of academic correctness on period practice. So his appointment today as professor of harpsichord at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama is not by any means routine. It’s a gauntlet thrown down by the Guildhall at the fusty early-music establishment.

This could be fun.

Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Music, Guildhall School commented: ‘I am delighted to welcome Mahan to the School. As a soloist he has quickly acquired a towering reputation which will inspire our students by example. His breadth of interest in all periods of music, allied to a serious research ethic, engenders an approach to performance that will be embraced by all departments but particularly Keyboard and Historical Performance. As a champion of new music for both solo and ensemble harpsichord we anticipate him working very closely with composition and a variety of instrumentalists’

Mahan Esfahani said, ‘Part of my mission in widening the horizons of my instrument is an investment in young musicians. I am honoured that the Guildhall School has asked me to be involved with nurturing the next generation of harpsichordists.’