John Georgiadis

John Alexander Georgiadis (17 July 1939 – 5 January 2021) was a British violinist and conductor. He was twice Concert Leader with the London Symphony Orchestra during the 1960s and 70s, a member of both the ensembles London Virtuosi and the Gabrieli String Quartet as well as conductor for both the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and as Director of Orchestral Studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

Early life Georgiadis was born in Southend-on-Sea on 17 July 1939, During his childhood on a family holiday to Austria, his family met Willi Boskovsky, who on his visit to England visited and stayed in Laindon giving lessons to the young Georgiadis.

In 1963 Georgiadis joined the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as Concert Leader. In 1965 he joined the London Symphony Orchestra as Concert Leader until his first departure in 1973. During this time he performed the first English performance of the Menotti Violin Concerto, and the first London performance of the Bartok Violin Concerto No.1. He played solo violinist with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra in a memorial concert to John Howard Davies live on BBC Radio London on the 25 July 1974. In 1976 he recorded the Bliss Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

In 1992 he was approached by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, of which in 1994 he became its music director and conductor, and later became a regular guest conductor at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, an orchestra he helped set up.

Georgiadis toured as a recital duet with Andy Peebles from 1988 to 1999.

Georgiadis was an honorary member of the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain for whom he was archives guardian and librarian.

Literary, acting and television career

In 1979 Georgiadis appeared as a judge on the Thames Television programme, Fanfare for Young Musicians.

He launched his autobiography Bow to Baton: A Leader’s Life in 2019. In the book he revealed he was not a fan of Andre Previn, whom he worked with at the London Symphony Orchestra.

Discography 1975 - Elgar - John Georgiadis, John Parry - Music For Violin And Piano 1976 - London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – The Magic of Strauss 1976 - John Georgiadis, Susan Georgiadis – Gipsy Carnival 1977 - John Georgiadis, Susan Georgiadis – Hora Staccato 1978 - The Johann Strauss Orchestra, John Georgiadis – A Strauss Family Gala 1978 - The London Symphony Orchestra Conducted From The Violin Of John Georgiadis – The Blue Danube Waltz 1978 - John Georgiadis - Susan Georgiadis – Moto Perpetuo 1979 - Moeran - John Georgiadis, London Symphony Orchestra, Vernon Handley – Violin Concerto 1979 - The Strauss Family: Vienna Dances 1986 - Johann Strauss I/ Johann Strauss II/ Josef Strauss/ London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – An Evening Of Strauss 1988 - The London Symphony Orchestra - Conductor: John Georgiadis – An Evening In Vienna 1989 - The London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – Johann Strauss And Family In London 1993 - Albinoni – The London Virtuosi, Anthony Camden, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Op. 9, Nos. 2, 3, 5, 8, 9 & 11 1994 - Weber - Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, John Georgiadis – Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 • Turandot • Silvana • Die Drei Pintos 1995 - Albinoni - Anthony Camden, Alison Alty, The London Virtuosi, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Vol. 2 1995 - Albinoni, Anthony Camden, Alison Alty, The London Virtuosi, John Georgiadis – Oboe Concerti Vol. 3 1997 - Johann Strauss - London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis – A New Year Concert 1997 - John Georgiadis – Strauss A Viennese Collection London Symphony Orchestra 1998 - Fauré - RTE Sinfonietta, John Georgiadis - Orchestral Music 1999 - The Strauss Family in London 2015 - Czibulka, Fahrbach Jr., Fetrás, Gung'l, Hellmesberger Jr., Ivanovici, Lanner, Lincke, Millöcker, Schmid, Schrammel, Ziehrer, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family Vol. 1 2015 - Ivanovici, Lincke, Zeller, Fucik, Komzák, Suppé, Rosas, Hellmesberger, Labitzky, Fetrás, Schrammel, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family - Volume 2 2017 - Eduard Strauss I, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Paradubice, John Georgiadis – A Centenary Celebration 2017 - Czibulka, Eilenberg, Fahrbach, Jr, Fučík, Heuberger, Kéler, Labitzky, Lincke, Millöcker, Pazeller, Vollstedt, J.F. Wagner, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Paradubice, John Georgiadis – Contemporaries Of The Strauss Family Vol. 3 2019 - Eduard Strauss I, Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis – A Centenary Celebration Vol. 2 2019 - Contemporaries of the Strauss Family, Vol. 4

Personal life Georgiadis was born to parents Alec and Pat in 1939.

In 1961 Georgiadis married Susan Salter, a viola player and pianist. They toured and recorded together performing Gypsy music. She died in 2006. They had three children. His second wife was Monica Mollerstrom and they lived in the town of Deal. Georgiadis died on 5 January 2021.