HKAPA

Anthony Camden was born into a distinguished musical family in London, as his mother was a cellist and pianist and his father was considered to be one of the world’s finest bassoon players.  Anthony started learning the violin when he was 4, but having made his concerto solo debut at the age of 14 as a violinist at the Royal College of Music, he decided to change to the oboe as his major instrument.  With his father and a pianist he formed the Camden Trio, which performed recitals all over Europe between 1959 and 1968.

In 1960, he was a founding member of the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra and their Principal oboe, and in 1963 undertook and extensive world tour with the Baroque Trio, playing both baroque and modern oboes as well as the harpsichord in concerto performances.  The following year, he joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as Principal oboe, and from there moved on to become principal oboe of  the London Symphony Orchestra in 1972.  In that same year, with the flautist James Galway and other musicians, he founded the London Virtuosi, a group that still performs worldwide today.

In 1975, elected by the orchestra’s members, Anthony Camden became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the London Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1987, the longest standing chairman in the LSO’s History.  A year later, he moved to Australia to take up the appointment as Provost and Director of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, where he stayed until 1993 when he was invited to be Dean of the school of Music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

During his ten years of Deanship until his retirement in 2003, Anthony Camden raised the academic standing, artistic standard and international profile of the School of Music immensely.  Academy music graduates are now performing in major Orchestras and ensembles both locally and abroad, achieving admirable results in postgraduate studies overseas, and teaching successfully, both privately and in institutions.  Many current students at both the tertiary and junior levels are winning prizes in major international music competitions.

Through his successful networking, the Academy orchestra, pianists, Chinese music and vocal students have performed at international festivals in Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia, as well as serving as musical ambassadors for Hong Kong in numerous SAR Governent trade and economic promotional events, and, through his connections, world-class visiting artists came to perform and give masterclasses at the Academy.

Anthony Camden is one of the world’s finest oboists and has been confirmed as the most recorded oboist in the world.  He is a consultant for music institutions and directing music festivals worldwide.