Sargent, Sir Malcolm (1895-1967), was a leading British conductor. He became particularly famous for conducting the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. He was conductor-in-chief of the Promenade Concerts from 1948 until his death. Sargent was chief conductor of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Symphony Orchestra from 1950 to 1957. Sargent was also noted for his skill at conducting large choral works. He conducted many seasons with the Royal Choral Society as well as other choral societies in the United Kingdom.
Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was born on April 29, 1895 in Ashford, Kent, England. He worked as a church organist for a period. After serving in the army in World War I (1914-1918), Sargent started conducting. He received his major break in 1921 when he was invited to conduct his own composition, Impression on a Windy Day, with the Queen’s Hall Orchestra. Sargent became a professor of the Royal College of Music in 1923. He later conducted many orchestras and visited many countries. In addition to his own compositions, Sargent conducted first performances of works by the British composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sir William Walton. Sargent was knighted in 1947. He died on Oct. 3, 1967.
