Lynne Walker (critic)
Encyclopedia
Lynne Walker was a British music and theatre critic who also had experience as a broadcaster.
Born in Edinburgh, she attended the Mary Erskine School
. She won a medal at the end of her time at Napier College in 1976, and gained a degree from the Huddersfield School of Music (now part of Huddersfield University
). It was at this time that Walker became drawn to the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
, and gained a scholarship to study choral conducting in France under Arthur Oldham
.
Her early career was as a musician, but she migrated to marketing and publicity in the early 1980s working for the Scottish National Orchestra and later for the Royal Exchange
theatre in Manchester (1987–94). In 1991 she began her own editorial consultancy Edgewise with the music critic Gerald Larner, whom she had married in 1989. Simultaneously she had begun a freelance career in journalism and broadcasting. For about a decade, until the programme was dropped in 1998, she was a contributor to (and for its last two years presenter) of the BBC Radio 4 arts magazine Kaleidoscope. She also hosted the Radio 3
programme In Tune.
By 2000 she was a more regular contributor to The Independent
, responsible for the newspaper's coverage of theatre events at the Edinburgh Festival, feature articles and arts criticism with an emphasis on the north of England.
Lynne Walker died in Alderley Edge
, Cheshire having suffered from cancer.
Born in Edinburgh, she attended the Mary Erskine School
The Mary Erskine School
The Mary Erskine School, popularly known simply as "Mary Erskine's" or "MES" for short, paired with the all boys school Stewart's Melville College is an all girls independent secondary school in Edinburgh, Scotland...
. She won a medal at the end of her time at Napier College in 1976, and gained a degree from the Huddersfield School of Music (now part of Huddersfield University
University of Huddersfield
The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
). It was at this time that Walker became drawn to the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is held in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. It has a repertoire of cutting-edge jazz, orchestral, choral and electroacoustic performances, along with film, dance and music theatre...
, and gained a scholarship to study choral conducting in France under Arthur Oldham
Arthur Oldham
Arthur William Oldham was an English composer and choirmaster. He founded the Edinburgh Festival Chorus in 1965, the Chorus of the Orchestre de Paris in 1975, and the Concertgebouw Orchestra Chorus in Amsterdam in 1979. He also worked with the Scottish Opera Chorus 1966-74 and directed the...
.
Her early career was as a musician, but she migrated to marketing and publicity in the early 1980s working for the Scottish National Orchestra and later for the Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed Victorian building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street...
theatre in Manchester (1987–94). In 1991 she began her own editorial consultancy Edgewise with the music critic Gerald Larner, whom she had married in 1989. Simultaneously she had begun a freelance career in journalism and broadcasting. For about a decade, until the programme was dropped in 1998, she was a contributor to (and for its last two years presenter) of the BBC Radio 4 arts magazine Kaleidoscope. She also hosted the Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
programme In Tune.
By 2000 she was a more regular contributor to The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, responsible for the newspaper's coverage of theatre events at the Edinburgh Festival, feature articles and arts criticism with an emphasis on the north of England.
Lynne Walker died in Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,409....
, Cheshire having suffered from cancer.