Anthony Camden

After his retirement in 2003 he continued to be a consultant to music institutions and festivals.

In 1993 he joined the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts as the Dean of the School of Music, a position he held until his retirement in 2003. During his tenure the academic standing of the institution was raised and the profile increased internationally.

Camden met his first wife,, Diane Lewis while working for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He had two children from this marriage, Andrew and Colette. He married his second wife, Lilly Li, in 1993 and they had a daughter together called Sasha.

During the 1990s he recorded, either with London Vituosi or the City of London Sinfonia, 36 concertos largely by Italian composers. He is one of the most recorded oboists.

In 1988 Camden left the London Symphony Orchestra and joined the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane where he was the Provost and Director, a position he would hold until 1993. During this time he continued giving performances in Europe and Asia.

Some of Camden's highlights in this period include recording Carillons with the LSO in 1974, working as visiting Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and forming the London Virtuosi with fellow LSO members John Georgiadis and James Galway.

After leaving the Royal College of Music, Camden became a founding member of the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra in 1960 and immediately became the Principal Oboe. In 1964 he joined as Principal Oboe the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which ended in 1972 when he joined the London Symphony Orchestra as Principal Oboe, a position he held of 14 years. In 1975 he was elected to Chairman of the Board of the LSO by his fellow musicians, a role he held until 1987 becoming the longest holder of the position.

Anthony Camden (26 April 1938 – 7 March 2006) was the Principal Oboe and Chairman of the Board at the London Symphony Orchestra. He was also a founding member of the ensemble London Virtuosi and went on to become the Provost and Director of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane before becoming the Dean of Music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He was affectionately known as the Whizzer in the world of classical music.

Camden was born in London to parents Archie and Joyce Camden (born Jan Kerrison) in April 1938. Archie Camden was a celebrated bassoonist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra while Joyce was a cellist, pianist and composer. During World War II the family moved first to Bristol and then Bedford due to the orchestra being relocated. While in Bedford a young Camden fell ill twice with double pneumonia and serious attacks of asthma.