John Gilhooly

Gilhooly was educated at Lisnagry National School, Ardscoil Rís, Limerick, and University College Dublin where he read History and Political Science. He went on to study singing as a tenor at the Dublin City College of Music and the Leinster School of Music, under the mentorship of soprano Veronica Dunne.[6][7]

Before joining Wigmore Hall, Gilhooly had worked on events and concerts at Harrogate International Centre and was working at the £300m ExCel Centre in the Docklands.[8]

In 2000, he became Executive Director of Wigmore Hall under its then Artistic Director, William Lyne. In 2005, Gilhooly took on the additional responsibility of Artist Director at the age of 32, becoming the youngest head of a classical concert venue worldwide.[5]

Gilhooly is (voluntary) chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society,[9] a registered UK charity and one of the oldest music societies in the world. He has held this office since 2010.[2] Gilhooly is also a frequent juror in international competitions. In June 2019, he chaired the BBC Cardiff Singer of The World Song Competition.[10] He has also chaired the biennial Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera International Song Competition[11] and the Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition.[12]

Gilhooly undertakes a large amount of voluntary work in music and the arts and is associated with numerous arts charities. He has served as Chairman of Mahogany Opera Group and holds a number of Honorary Patronages including Leeds Lieder, The Chopin Society, Irish Heritage and the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust. He was also Patron of the refurbishment of Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, Covent Garden. He is a trustee of the International Musicians’ Seminar, Cornwall, a trustee of The Susan Chilcott Scholarship and an advisor to London Music Masters. He is Patron of Wimbledon Music Festival and a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He has held advisory roles with Cheltenham Music Festival and the Dartington Trust. He is a former director of the British Association of Concert Halls.

Gilhooly was appointed OBE in 2013. He has also been awarded the Star of Italy, the German Order of Merit and the Austrian Cross of Honour, and is a Knight in the Order of the White Rose of Finland. He has been granted honorary fellowships of the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School and the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and honorary membership of the Royal College of Music.[13]

In 2016 Gilhooly was listed by The Sunday Times as one of the 500 most influential people in Britain, described by the Sunday Times/Debrett's as "one of the most influential figures in British arts administration."[14]

In 2019 he was awarded the Heidelberger Frühling Music Award at the Heidelberg Spring Festival.[15] He was also presented with The Cobbett Medal for services to Chamber Music from the Worshipful Company of Musicians.[16] He is frequently listed in The Evening Standard's "London's most influential" list.[17]