The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation

Works by Michael Tippett will feature in two concerts at this year’s BBC Proms. Edward Gardner conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in The Rose Lake, Tippett’s last major work, on Aug 10, while a programme of Folk Songs and Dances from Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra on Aug 30 includes Triumph: a paraphrase on music from The Mask of Time.

We are proud and thrilled to have supported the first ever commercial recording of Tippett’s opera New Year. Performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, with the BBC Singers, conducted by Martyn Brabbins, the recording was released by NMC Recordings in March 2025 to critical acclaim. In celebration of this landmark release, our Chair Oliver Soden has curated a special playlist exploring the composer and his world, while Sally Groves, NMC Principal Benefactor and former Creative Director, has shared her personal insights into Tippett’s final work for the stage.

The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation is deeply saddened by the death of our patron, Sir Andrew Davis. Among the most lauded conductors of his time, Sir Andrew was one of Michael Tippett’s greatest friends and champions. His legacy will live on in his large and varied catalogue of recordings, not least of Tippett’s music, including a forthcoming release of A Child of Our Time. Our thoughts are with his family.

This brand new documentary by acclaimed film-maker John Bridcut is now available on the BBC iPlayer . With remarkable documentary footage and contributions from our Chair Oliver Soden and Trustee Sally Groves, this brilliant documentary has been widely seen and well-reviewed.
The Times: ‘a hypnotising, tender story told with love’. See also Martyn Brabbins’ article for BBC Music Magazine and John Bridcut’s article in The Telegraph.

On 23 September 2022 the London Philharmonic Orchestra released on its own label a recording of its acclaimed concert performance of The Midsummer Marriage, Tippett’s first major opera. Available across three discs or as a download, it is conducted by the Foundation’s Patron, Edward Gardner, and stars Rachel Nicholls and Robert Murray. The release was supported by the Michael Tippett Musical Foundation in memory of Dennis Marks, and is available in all formats from Prestomusic and elsewhere.

We are delighted that Oliver Soden is the new Chair of The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation (as of June 2022). Oliver succeeds opera manager Anthony Whitworth-Jones who has held the role of chair since 1998. Whitworth-Jones will continue his relationship with the Foundation in the role of trustee. Conductor Edward Gardner OBE has become a Patron of the Foundation, joining writer and critic David Cairns CBE, pianist Paul Crossley CBE, and conductor Sir Andrew Davis CBE who also hold this role.