Changes to Guildhall School’s Keyboard Department from September 2024

Pamela Lidiard will retire as Deputy Head of Keyboard at the end of the current academic year. Following her own studies in piano solo and accompaniment at the School, Pamela’s love for text and context led her to specialise in vocal accompaniment, coaching pianists in this art, as well as performing and recording with both singers and instrumentalists.

We are pleased to share that Pamela will be succeeded as Deputy Head of Keyboard by Gareth Owen, who is currently Head of Piano at Eton College, and a piano professor at Junior Guildhall. Gareth has performed as a soloist throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australia, and collaborated with many-high profile artists including the cellist Hannah Roberts and the violinist Geoff Nuttall.

We are also delighted to announce that Dr Bretton Brown has been appointed Senior Professor of Collaborative Piano. An accomplished recitalist, he made his UK debut accompanying Renée Fleming in Wigmore Hall. Other career highlights include recital appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Barbican, the Concertgebouw, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence and Edinburgh International Festival. He has also performed as a guest artist with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and works closely with Sir George Benjamin, including on the world premieres of Lessons in Love and Violence (Royal Opera House) and Picture a day like this (Festival d'Aix-en-Provence). For the past seven years, Dr Brown has been on staff at Guildhall School, coaching singers and teaching pianists, as well as curating several innovative song projects.

We also look forward to welcoming two Guildhall alumni back to the School as piano professors. Alexandra Dariescu performs as soloist with renowned orchestras around the world including BBC Symphony, Orchestra National de France, Oslo Philharmonic and Sydney Symphony, has released nine albums (on Decca and Signum) and is the creator and producer of The Nutcracker and I. Dr Alexander Soares was named a BBC Music Magazine Rising Star in 2021, and has released two solo albums with Rubicon Classics to widespread critical acclaim, including a Gramophone Editor’s Choice. He has performed in major venues across the UK, Europe and USA.

Professor Ronan O'Hora, Head of Keyboard Studies and Head of Advanced Performance Studies at Guildhall School said: “As we celebrate and mark the wonderful contribution Pamela Lidiard has made to Guildhall in her many years as both a student and professor and wish her well in her retirement, I am pleased that we can also share the news of Gareth, Bretton, Alexandra and Alexander’s exciting new appointments within the School’s thriving Keyboard Department.”