Loughran, James

views updated

Loughran, James

Loughran, James, Scottish conductor; b. Glasgow, June 30, 1931. He studied with Peter Maag in Bonn, where he was a répétiteur at the City Theater; also studied in Amsterdam and Milan. In 1961 he won first prize in a conducting competition sponsored by the Philharmonia Orch. in London. From 1962 to 1965 he was assoc. conductor of the Bournemouth Sym. Orch., and then was principal conductor of the BBC Scottish Sym. Orch in Glasgow (1965–71). He served as principal conductor of the Hallé Orch. in Manchester (1971–83), and chief conductor of the Bamberg Sym. Orch. (1979–83). He was chief guest conductor of the BBC Welsh Sym. Orch. in Cardiff (1987–90) and permanent guest conductor of the Japan Phil, in Tokyo (from 1993). In 1996 he became chief conductor of the Ârhus Sym. Orch.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire