From plain Jane to Dame Jane

From plain Jane to Dame Jane

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norman lebrecht

December 31, 2020

The conductor Jane Glover, 71, has become a Dame of the British Empire in the UK New Year’s Honours.

The opera director Graham Vick is now Sir Graham.

Wasfi Kani, founder of Grange Park Opera, has been made CBE, as have conductor Daniel Harding, pianist Barry Douglas and composer Julian Anderson.

There are OBEs for cellist Natalie Clein and pianist Wayne Marshall.

Comments

  • Elizabeth Owen says:

    Excellent news, well deserved. Many congratulations to all.

  • Edward says:

    Wayne Marshall is also an organist.

  • JJ says:

    She’s not plain! You should go to Specsavers.

  • James Weiss says:

    Sad though that we see a knighthood for notorious tax cheat Lewis Hamilton whose claim to fame is he drives a car fast. The Honours system is devalued.

    • Orchestral Musician says:

      Tax cheat?? HM Revenue & Customs is apparently unaware of this.
      What Sir Lewis has accomplished is absolutely incredible. He grew up in a council home in Stevenage, and has become not only the best of hybrid-era, but the greatest ever F1 driver. Most people wouldn’t last half a lap in an F1 car, but he can win in a car with only three functioning tyres. (see Silverstone, August 2, 2020.)

      To stay on-topic, I’m very happy that Dame Jane Glover has been honoured with a very deserving title!

      • James Weiss says:

        He claims Monaco citizenship to avoid paying UK taxes. That’s called being a tax cheat. It’s not worthy of a knighthood.

        • Graeme Keith Hall says:

          So much that is wrong in such a short post! Of course he pays UK tax. He also pays French, German, Spanish taxes, and taxes in most countries where he races. Tax isn’t simply a case of where you live, it is about where you work and where income is generated. Also, he’s a Monaco resident not a Monaco citizen.

          • James Weiss says:

            You might want to try a little thing called google where you will find that for years he has resided in Monaco to avoid paying UK taxes. This is a well established fact.

          • Graeme Keith Hall says:

            Only a well-established fact for people who know nothing about international tax law!

  • BruceB says:

    One of the great Mozart conductors. Congratulations to her.

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    Congratulations, Jane. A conductor who succeeded despite of, and not because of… (you fill in the rest). Wasfi, too. Incredible woman. No quota leg-ups, here.

  • Couperin says:

    Performed under Dame Glover at the Berkshire Chorale Festival years ago. The real deal! No bullshit. No wokeness. Knowledgeable, efficient, friendly but determined, clear and sincere. I can’t stand quotas! If only EVERY conductor, male and female, could know their job like Glover.

  • Edgar Self says:

    Dame Jane has been music director of Music of the Baroque in Chicago since 2002.

  • Nijinsky says:

    Please… Some Giselle………please…….

  • Norbert says:

    Much deserved. A sincere musician and artist who has worked tirelessly without the froth associated with some of her colleagues.

    • Douglas says:

      Well said! The classical music world fondly likes to see itself as somehow above the (allegedly!) meretricious world of popular music, but it too desperately seeks the next “big thing”, often ignoring those – as you have said – who work tirelessly without the froth.

  • old muso says:

    Another small choice of musicians selected by our hapless and musically illiterate government who prefer to use their playground politics and oxbridge bullishness to promote sports over and above musical performances.
    Real musicians who do their job in any case have no desire for the corrupt, meaningless and outdated honours system where you line up with lollipop ladies to be patted on the back by some member of the royal family for a selfie opportunity.
    It used to be the case that gongs were only given to those who went far beyond their job requirements and had a portfolio of going the extra mile with charity work to qualify for nomination. In view of these nominees, it would now appear not to be so.

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