Vernon Handley

Bio

Vernon Handley (1930–2008) was an English conductor renowned for his advocacy of British orchestral music. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music and later with Sir Adrian Boult, whose influence shaped his clear, unmannered style. Over a career spanning more than five decades he held principal posts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra, while maintaining a busy freelance schedule. Handley became especially admired for his recordings of Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Bax and other British composers, many of which appeared on the Chandos and EMI labels. His complete cycles of the symphonies of Arnold Bax and Robert Simpson remain reference editions. He was appointed CBE in 1992 and received honorary doctorates from several British universities in recognition of his services to music.