Death of a distinguished Irish conductor

We are informed of the death from pneumonia of Kenneth Montgomery, an outstanding Irish conductor with an international career.

He was in his 80th year.

A student of Sir Adrian Boult, Kenneth became music director of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta in 1973 and of Glyndebourne Touring Opera two years later. In 2006 he was named principal conductor of the Ulster Orchestra.

In the Netherlands, where he made his home, he was principal conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1975 and from 1985 with its successor, the Netherlands Radio Symphony. He was director of opera studies at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and flew out as annual guest conductor to the Santa Fe Opera in the US.

He is survived by his husband, Jan van Dooren.