Kenneth Alwyn

Kenneth Alwyn (born Kenneth Alwyn Wetherell; 28 July 1925) is an English conductor, composer and writer. Described by BBC Radio 3 as "one of the great British musical directors", Alwyn is known for his many recordings, including with the London Symphony Orchestra on Decca’s first stereophonic recording of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. He is also known for his long association with BBC Radio 2's orchestral live music programme Friday Night is Music Night, appearing for thirty years as a conductor and presenter, and for his contribution to British musical theatre as a prolific musical director in the 1950s and 1960s. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music and is married to the actress Mary Law. The first volume of his memoirs A Baton in the Ballet and Other Places was published in 2015. The second volume Is Anyone Watching? was published in 2017.