My brother, Simon Foxley, who has died aged 64 of circulatory problems, was an accomplished musician, conductor, teacher, arranger and composer.
He was born in Harrow, north-west London, the son of Doreen (nee Hartle), a nurse specialising in anaesthetics, and Ray (Raymond) Foxley, a professional jazz pianist. He grew up in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and began playing the piano at a young age, encouraged by his father. At North Bromsgrove high school Simon also took up the French horn and played in the school and county youth orchestras.
In the early 1970s along with three friends he formed the band Hunkpapa. They played a diverse set list at local gigs in and around Birmingham while still at school, earning a commendation in a competition from Melody Maker.
Simon went on to study music at the University of Manchester, graduating in 1978. During his time there he established himself as a conductor and began his lifelong interest in contemporary classical music.
After graduating he worked as a freelance conductor, pianist and piano teacher in Manchester before moving to London in 1980, where he was a senior music tutor with the Inner London Education Authority for 10 years.
From 1990 to 1996 he was education and community officer for the Spitalfields festival and was a project coordinator for the London Arts Board (1994-95), and the Women’s Playhouse Trust (1995-96). Simon was also music director for Contemporary Music-Making for Amateurs (Coma) from its inception in 1992. In 1994 he became head of the Centre for Young Musicians in Hackney.
He stopped working in 2006 but continued to write music, embracing new music technology as he came across it. In 2020, he completed a large-scale piece for violin and electronics called The Day’s Deep Midnight. The violin would be accompanied by a mixture of bells, clocks and birdsong. It is intricate and strikingly original.
He possessed an enormous collection of CDs, minidiscs and other recorded music; a fiercely guarded hi-fi system, including a Linn turntable whose virtues he never tired of extolling; and a sophisticated home recording studio. He also played bridge, was a devoted supporter of Manchester United and read the Guardian daily.
Simon believed that making music was a life-enhancing experience that should be available to everyone, regardless of age, experience, or financial circumstances. His passion for this goal, along with his flowing mane of hair, will remain a lasting memory for those who knew him.
Simon is survived by his sisters, Kate and me.
