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Paul Goodwin, long regarded as one of the best "original instruments" oboists, rapidly established himself in the 1990s as an exceptional conductor in a wide range of music. As an oboist he recorded more than 20 solo and recital compact discs as well as recording frequently with leading London "original instrument" Baroque ensembles. Among those discs are an acclaimed set of
Vivaldi oboe sonatas, another of seven
Vivaldi concertos with oboe, and oboe sonatas of
Georg Philip Telemann.
In addition to playing in major venues and festivals around the world,
Goodwin also became well known for his teaching and his work with student musicians.
After he began conducting,
Goodwin received major recognition when
Christopher Hogwood, founder and conductor of the
Academy of Ancient Music, appointed him associate conductor of the academy. His skills with standard instrument ensembles were also obvious, and he became principal guest conductor of the
English Chamber Orchestra. He has guest conducted major orchestras of all sizes, both standard instruments and period instruments. These include the
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the
Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the
Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the
Orchestre National de Lille, the
Ulster Orchestra, the
Camerata Academica Salzburg, and the
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He is also a sensitive choral conductor who has led the Belfast Philharmonic Choir, the
RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, and the
Tallis Chamber Choir and been invited to take the
Netherlands Chamber Choir on tour. As a conductor,
Goodwin is an exclusive Harmonia Mundi USA recording artist, including his performances with the
Academy of Ancient Music. Notable projects with the
AAM has included tours devoted to the music of
Monteverdi and
Schütz and
Mozart's almost unknown Singspiel Zaïde. In 1999,
Goodwin made his BBC Proms Concerts conducting debut with the academy in a program of
Handel,
Haydn, and contemporary composer
John Tavener.
The European interest in reviving Baroque-era opera has shown
Goodwin to be a dramatic and effective theater conductor. He conducted
Jonathan Miller's acclaimed and innovative staging of
Bach's St. Matthew Passion as well as
Handel's Agrippina, Amadigi, and Poro,
Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, and Classical-era works including Gluck's Orfeo and
Haydn's L'isola disabitata, as well as
Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and Il rè pastore.
Goodwin is highly interested in the idea of promoting contemporary composers to write for Baroque-period instruments. This has resulted in commissions from British composer
John Tavener, whose Eternity's Sunrise was the first work commissioned by
Goodwin for the academy, and who has gone on to write the large-scale cantata Total Eclipse.
David Bedford has also agreed to write an orchestral suite for the academy.
Goodwin continues his interest in music education and youth orchestras. He often works with the Baroque and Classical orchestras of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music in London. He is director of the Dartington International Summer School Baroque Orchestra and Early Opera and has worked with the Spanish Youth Orchestra (JONDE), the Britten-Pears Orchestra, the
European Community Baroque Orchestra, and the Jeune Orchestre Atlantique.