Mourning for ‘extraordinary musical polymath’, 94

The family have reported the death yesterday of Sir David Lumsden, organist, chorus director and sometimes controversial principal of two British academies of  music.

Raised in Newcastle upon Tyne in modest circumstances, Lumsden became became fellow and organist of New College, Oxford, raising its choir to high standard. He founded the Nottingham Bach Society and conducted the BBC Scottish Singers; with principals of the LSO he formed the London Virtuosi.

In 1976 he was made principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, leading a campaign to stop the BBC from abolishing its Scottish orchestra. Six years later he took over as principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London, causing uproar among other colleges by slashing student numbers, inviting international star performers and talking of remodelling the RAM on the lines of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. He retired in 1993.

David Lumsden is survived by two sons. Andrew is director of music at Winchester Cathedral. Stephen is director of the international agency Intermusica. He is also  survived by two daughters, Jane and Jenny, a retired headteacher and a retired nurse.