Rae Jenkins

Rae Jenkins MBE FRAM, born Henry Horatio Jenkins[1] (19 April 1903[1] – 29 March 1985[2]) was a Welsh violinist and later conductor of light music, notably with the BBC Midland Light Orchestra (1942–1946),[3] the BBC Variety Orchestra (from 1946), and as principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra (1950–1965).[4][5] In 1955 Hubert Clifford, Head of Light Music at the BBC, called Jenkins "the most gifted and experienced conductor of light music in the country".[6]

Jenkins was born at Ammanford in 1903,[4][7] the son of a coal miner.[3] Given a violin when four years old, he was first violin in his local theatre orchestra by the age of eleven.[3] He subsequently attended the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied viola under Lionel Tertis and conducting under Sir Henry Wood.[8]

He worked on radio programmes, including It's That Man Again (ITMA). He was also an authority on music of gypsy origin.[3]

He appeared as a castaway on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 6 September 1965.[9] He was a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM).

A portrait of Jenkins was painted by William Redgrave. A plaque in Ammanford Town Hall commemorates him. It reads:

In loving memory of

Rae Jenkins M.B.E. F.R.A.M.

1903–1985 Ammanford

born musician who devoted

his life to music

conductor of B.B.C. Midland, Variety and

Welsh Orchestras