| Biography | In 1949 Lucas was awarded the Gold Medal from the Associated Board for the highest marks in any Practical subject throughout the British Isles, Northern Ireland and Eire for Grade VII Piano. She went on to graduate with Honours from the Royal Northern College of Music in 1957. John Ogdon was a Student at the College at the same time and John and Brenda were married in 1960.
Lucas embarked on a solo career making her first appearance with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 21 and giving Solo Recitals for the BBC from the Manchester Studio. She also gave a Solo Recital at the Wigmore Hall during the early sixties. John and Brenda performed as a Duo partnership and were invited to play at several major Festivals i.e. Edinburgh (1962/63), Cheltenham, Aldeburgh, Sintra to name but a few.
Brenda has appeared with the following orchestras: London Symphony; BBC Scottish Orchestra; Royal Philharmonic; Birmingham Symphony; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Minnesota Orchestra; Dartmouth College, U.S.A.; Houston Symphony; Northern Sinfonia; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; London Philharmonic; all Principal Orchestras in Australia.
In 1985 Brenda and John toured in the Soviet Union, giving Duo Recitals in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev. The Moscow Recital was part of the Russian Winter Nights Festival. In addition to performing with the above American Orchestras, Brenda has played in Dallas, Texas; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Indiana University and Colby College, Maine. In 1996 Brenda gave recitals in Hong Kong and broadcast for RTHK.
In 1993 she founded the John Ogdon Foundation a Charity dedicated to the preservation of Johns memory. |