Conservatory chief to head Oxford college
mainToday’s announcement:
The Fellows of Trinity College are delighted to announce the appointment of Hilary Boulding, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, as their next President, in succession to Sir Ivor Roberts, with effect from 1 August 2017.
Ms Boulding says, ‘I am honoured to have been offered this important position at one of the leading colleges of Oxford University. Trinity is well placed to build on its significant achievements during the presidency of Sir Ivor Roberts and I look forward to playing a full part in its future development.’
Hilary Boulding was previously Director of Music for Arts Council England and before that was a producer, director and latterly a commissioning editor in arts broadcasting for the BBC. She is a non-executive director of Welsh National Opera. She is a graduate of St Hilda’s College, Oxford.
Ms Boulding’s husband, John Summers, is chief exec of the Halle Orch in Manchester. He’ll be looking at the cost of season tickets.
Re the last paragraph, I’d guess that the currently-required season ticket from Manchester to Cardiff (or vice versa) costs more than the potential new season ticket from Manchester to Oxford, so there may actually be a family travel saving to be made here. Can a train-savvy SD reader advise?
Perhaps even more intriguing will be to see who the new Principal of the Royal Welsh will be. Headhunters will doubtless be scrambling to win another juicy assignment.
There almost certainly will be a saving because Manchester to Cardiff is a Cross Country Trains franchise and they seem to be way more expensive than GWR of even Virgin. I recently travelled from Lancaster to Swansea via London because it was roughly half the price. So yes, the Boulding exchequer may well benefit. And, incidentally, what an excellent job each of them has done / is doing in their respective appointments.
Glad such distinguished musicians are obsessed with this news by reference to the personal implications for her family train travel bill. Where is one’s Bradshaw when it is needed?
Mercurius Londoniensis may be able to advise on this, but especially as regards the situation at Royal Welsh….?
Thank God not another career BBC person, I thought, but I see that she did indeed serve a term there. Oxbridge is becoming a retirement home for BBC executives!
They do well because they are not vulgarly commercial, and usually well-educated, but have not been in the swim of academic politics so can rise above the fray (while understanding exactly what the fray is all about).
Still nice to have someone from a musical background, so mustn’t be too negative!
Railway news: Manchester to Cardiff is Arriva Trains Wales, great service on a beautiful line traveling through Shropshire and Herefordshire. When I travel home I get off at Abergavenny, where we have a house. Time and fares to Oxford pretty comparable – but Virgin CC. No comparison yet on service and landscape – but will report back at the appropriate time. Halle touring south in the next few weeks – concerts at Cardiff, Bristol and Bath – so I will be home from home!