Joy Boughton
Encyclopedia
Christina Joyance Boughton (known as Joy) (14 June 1913 - 1963) was the daughter of English composer Rutland Boughton
and artist Christina Walshe. She died in 1963 in tragic circumstances.
She was taught oboe by Léon Goossens
and attended the Royal College of Music
from 1929 to 1937 at which, for a short while before her death, she was a Professor of Oboe. It was to Joy that in 1951 the English composer Benjamin Britten
dedicated his Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
which she premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival
in that year. She helped establish Britten's English Opera Group
and together with John Francis (flute) and Millicent Silver (piano) became part of The Sylvan Trio.
In 1937, Joy gave the first performance of the Oboe Concerto written specially for her by Rutland Boughton at a concert in Oxford with the Boyd Neel String Orchestra. She was married to the theatre impressario Christopher Ede and they had two children, Robin and Penny. A concert in her memory was held at the RCM in April 1963.
Rutland Boughton
Rutland Boughton was an English composer who became well known in the early 20th century as a composer of opera and choral music....
and artist Christina Walshe. She died in 1963 in tragic circumstances.
She was taught oboe by Léon Goossens
Léon Goossens
Léon Jean Goossens CBE, FRCM was a British oboist.He was born in Liverpool and studied at the Royal College of Music...
and attended the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
from 1929 to 1937 at which, for a short while before her death, she was a Professor of Oboe. It was to Joy that in 1951 the English composer Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
dedicated his Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
English composer Benjamin Britten composed the program music Six Metamorphoses after Ovid for solo Oboe in 1951. Intended to evoke images of the Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses, the piece is dedicated to oboist Joy Boughton who gave the first performance at the Aldeburgh Festival on 14 June 1951...
which she premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
in that year. She helped establish Britten's English Opera Group
English Opera Group
The English Opera Group was a small company of British musicians formed in 1947 by the composer Benjamin Britten for the purpose of presenting his and other, primarily British, composers' operatic works. The group later expanded in order to present larger-scale works, and was renamed the English...
and together with John Francis (flute) and Millicent Silver (piano) became part of The Sylvan Trio.
In 1937, Joy gave the first performance of the Oboe Concerto written specially for her by Rutland Boughton at a concert in Oxford with the Boyd Neel String Orchestra. She was married to the theatre impressario Christopher Ede and they had two children, Robin and Penny. A concert in her memory was held at the RCM in April 1963.