THE President of Finland has awarded Lisnagry man John Gilhooly OBE the rank of Knight of the Order of The White Rose of Finland.
The Finnish Ambassador will invest the young Gilhooly, director of London’s Wigmore Hall and chair of the Royal Philharmonic Society, with the Knight’s Insignia on Thursday December 17 . It’s the highest in their land that can be conferred to non-nationals.
The premise is Gilhooly’s “distinction in the music profession and his friendship with Finland”.
John, brother to professional bass/ baritone Owen of MidWest Vocal Academy, joins a select few Irish wearing the Order of the White Rose.
This accolade is one of many in this UCD grad’s high achieving life leading and developing the prestigious concert hall since 2005. He has also been honoured this week with Honorary Fellowship of the Guildhall School of Music (Hon FGS), which will be conferred in January, and he was previously decorated with an OBE by Her Majesty Queen in the 2013 Birthday Honours.
Biographical note:
John Gilhooly has twice been named in ‘London’s Top 100 Opinion Makers’ by Time Out magazine, and was listed in the Evening Standard’s ‘Most Influential’ list in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
His many credentials rate at level of patron, chairman and honorary fellowship – you’ll doze off if all are listed. Know that he is a frequent public speaker and valued radio and media commentator. He is invited regularly to take part in international competition juries such as BBC Cardiff Singer of the World and Das Lied Competition in Berlin.
Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition is a future challenge.
In December 2013, Musical America named John Gilhooly as one of the most influential arts leaders in the international music world. In 2016, he will play a major part in co-ordinating the London activities for the commemoration of the 1916 Rising.
