Robert Ponsonby
English arts administrator
About Robert Ponsonby
Lived 1926 – 2019 (aged 92). Robert Ponsonby was an arts administration.
Robert Noel Ponsonby (19 December 19263 November 2019) was an English arts administrator and director of the Edinburgh International Festival from 1956 to 1960.
Ponsonby was born in Oxford, educated at Eton College and served in the Scots Guards. After two years at the Independent Television Authority and eight years as head of the Scottish National Orchestra, he became Controller of Music at the BBC from 1972 for 13 years, succeeding William Glock (and during most of that time also in charge of the BBC Proms). He was artistic director of the Canterbury Festival in 1987–88.
He published two books of musical interviews and reminiscences: Musical Heroes (2009) and In and Out of Tune (2016).
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Important facts
People in Robert Ponsonby's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Robert Ponsonby's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Robert Ponsonby?
English arts administrator (1926–2019)
When was Robert Ponsonby born?
Robert Ponsonby was born on 19 December 1926.
When did Robert Ponsonby die?
Robert Ponsonby died on 3 November 2019.
What was Robert Ponsonby's occupation?
Robert Ponsonby was an arts administration.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Ponsonby. https://biography.guide/robert-ponsonby/
MLA: "Robert Ponsonby." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-ponsonby/.
Chicago: "Robert Ponsonby." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-ponsonby/.
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