Tuesday 6 October 2009

Some information about Miss Kimpton


Pamela Blevins has sent me this very interesting piece of information about Miss Kimpton, whom I referred to in my post about Eugene Goossens Miniature Phantasy. I was hoping someone would know about her . Thanks for that, Pam! And also to Audrey Salkeld for the great photograph!

Miss Kimpton was Edith Gwynne Kimpton (1873-1930 -- she died following surgery), known as Gwynne Kimpton. She was another pioneering woman who ignored convention and struck out on her own. She taught at Bromley High School for Girls and was the energetic founder/organizer of a variety of musical groups and events. She co-founded the Bromley Symphony Orchestra and was the founder of the 88-member Women's Symphony Orchestra. She championed British music and women composers. While critics might ridicule her as another of the "stick-wagging females" she never faltered in her mission to bring music to the people and to provide performance opportunities for women where there had been so few before. Marion Scott, the critic and musicologist, ran all over London one day in 1924 as she interviewed the very busy Kimpton.

That revealing interview is available in the Maud Powell Signature, Autumn 2008 issue available online at http://www.maudpowell.org/signature/

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