john bethell

Visit of the Crown Prince of Japan, 1984 Left to right: John Bethell, Mr Fugi, Harry Danks, the Crown Prince of Japan

The Isle of Man

John Bethell has not confined his energies to the North of England - since 1955 he has been very active in music making in the Isle of Man; so much so that in 1966 His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor invited him to become a member of the Isle of Man Arts Council, becoming Vice Chairman in 1998 until his term of office came to an end in January 2000. He remains a co-opted member of the Music Panel.

The following year saw the foundation of the Manx Festival Chorus and his appointment as Artistic Director and Conductor, which meant for twenty-one years until he took up residency on the Island in 1990 he commuted once a month. It was with this Chorus in 1968 that the first ever complete performance of Handel's Messiah was given on the Isle of Man with international artists taking part. The Chorus has frequently been heard on BBC Radio and Television, has made two commercial recordings of Manx songs and appears at the annual Tynwald Ceremony held at St John's.

In August 1971 the Manx Festival Chorus was invited by Tynwald to sing before Her Majesty the Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Royal and Earl Mountbatten when they arrived in Douglas for an official visit. John Bethell was presented to the Royal Party and again in 1979 at the annual Tynwald Ceremony attended by Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip. In 2002 the Manx Festival Chorus celebrated its 34th anniversary.

John Bethell has also conducted the brass bands on the Island and brought them together on two occasions with conductor Harry Mortimer for 'Sounding Brass and Voices'. He is also a Vice President of the Rushen Silver Band, Galeforce - a young person's music/theatre group - and the President of the Lon Vane Ladies Choir. He is also Chairman of the Directors of the Manx Ballet Company.

John Bethell is Founder Chairman of the Erin Arts Centre (1971- ) and was a founder member of the Liaison Management Committee of the Gaiety Theatre. In 1975 he founded the Mananan International Festival of Music and the Arts of which he is Director and he has also been Chairman and Hon. Administration Director of International Competitions and Workshops for the Double Bass, held between 1978-1982 and the Viola (an event which is named after the great viola player Lionel Tertis), founded in 1980 and held triennially in Port Erin.

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