| Biography | Tom Jenkins gained a tremendous popular following as a violinist and orchestra leader during the heyday of BBC radios light music broadcasts between the 1930s and the 1950s. As leader of the BBC Palm Court Orchestra he attracted a devoted weekly audience of 10 million listeners, who were spellbound by his expressive playing style and great technical precision, in both popular light music and the classical repertoire.
At the peak of his fame in the early 1950s, Tom Jenkins was voted Most Popular Musical Entertainer in the National Radio Awards for two years running. He was highly sought after as a broadcaster and performer until his untimely death in 1957 at the age of forty-six.
His unique talent was well served by a 1667 Stradivarius, with which he made his most celebrated broadcasts and public performances. This violin was sold at Sothebys in 1995.
The Tom Jenkins Trust was set up in 1995 by Toms widow, Michelle Jenkins, and was funded through the sale of his 1667 Stradivarius. She was particularly anxious to create an award that bridged the gap between the old masters and the modern workshop.
Initially set up as an annual award to a student at the London Guildhall University, the first presentation was made in 1996 and continued for the following six years until 2002 when it was decided to expand the nature of the award. In 2003 and 2004 the Trust sponsored the organisation of the First British Violin Making Association (BVMA) International Violin and Bow Making Competition. The Trust also was instrumental in the development of a student section to the competition and presented awards in that section. The innovative Peoples Prize, an award for the violin that received the public vote during the competition, was also funded through the Trust. Since then the Tom Jenkins Trust has sponsored the advanced BVMAs Violin Restoration and Bow Course for (for professional makers) in each year that is has been held in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011 at West Dean College.
The advisory board of the Tom Jenkins Trust meets annually in February and continues to work towards promoting the aspirations of young makers and restorers. The board members are; Michelle Jenkins, David Jenkins, Margaret Campbell, Diana Cummings, Shem Mackey, Elizabeth Pamplin and Roger Rose. The trust is currently administered through the Worshipful Company of Musicians. |