English Conductor 

Iris Lemare began her musical journey studying organ under George Thalben-Ball, earning the Dove Prize for her talent. However, she later shifted her focus to timpani. During the early 1920s, she attended Bedales School and trained at the Dalcroze Institute in Geneva. From 1925 to 1929, she studied at the Royal College of Music with Gordon Jacob and Malcolm Sargent. Supported by Hugh Allen, who encouraged her to overcome what he called “an appalling barrier” for women in conducting, Lemare faced discrimination, including being rejected by the Tunbridge Wells Orchestra solely for being a woman.

In 1931, Lemare collaborated with Elisabeth Lutyens and Anne Macnaghten to establish the Macnaghten-Lemare Concerts, showcasing British composers. Over 40 new works were performed, including pieces by Benjamin Britten, Gerald Finzi, Alan Rawsthorne, and Michael Tippett, providing vital opportunities for young musicians and unknown composers.

In 1935, Lemare conducted an opera company at Pollards, where biennial opera festivals ran until World War II, when the venue was repurposed to house refugees. In 1937, she became the first woman to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her 1936 engagement with the BBC Orchestra (Section E) sparked media attention and debate. She went on to conduct the Northern Philharmonic Orchestra in 1940 and led performances at Oxford around the same period.

In 1945, Lemare founded the Lemare Orchestra, featuring renowned soloists such as Geza Anda and Joan Hammond. From 1970 to 1984, she conducted Opera Nova, where she championed local talent and introduced young audiences to opera. In her later years, she lectured, judged competitions, and worked as an examiner. Iris Lemare passed away on April 23, 1997, in Askham Bryan, and her remains were cremated.