Sad loss of inspirational musician – Timothy Watts – 11.4.1957-8.6.2024

FAMILY, FRIENDS, local music lovers, and regular attendees of Concerts in Caversham will have been saddened to learn of the death this summer of oboist Timothy Watts, husband of pianist Adrienne Black, joint co-founders of the concert series. Having performed in the Mostly Mozart concert at St Andrew’s in April this year playing music by Mozart, Britten and Goossens, Tim’s illness and sudden death early in June has been a shock to all.
Tim was raised in Liverpool and read history at Cambridge; he then went to the Royal College of Music in London, where he met Adrienne. As a professional oboist, he performed with Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera, was a founder member of Oxford Philomusica, and played with numerous other ensembles. Following a busy freelance career, he fulfilled a childhood dream when he was appointed to join London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) in 2002, travelling the world with the orchestra – later to be joined by his cello-playing daughter, Naomi. In recognition of his lifetime dedication to music, he was one of the musicians picked to play at the Coronation of King Charles III last year.
The funeral took place in a packed Douai Abbey, and friends and members of the RPO formed an orchestra conducted by John Rutter, playing music chosen by Tim, including pieces by his beloved JS Bach, as well as Rutter’s arrangement of The Lord Is My Shepherd.
Eulogies were given by RPO Principal Flautist, Emer McDonagh, who spoke of Tim’s playing as ‘pure, pristine, unaffectedly honest’, as well as his ‘admiration of the musicianship of others’. Adrienne’s and Tim’s son, Peter, spoke of his father’s competitive nature – as well as his unfailing passion for his football team, Everton. ‘The bond that Dad and I built together during the trials and tribulations as Evertonians was quite warming’, Peter recalled, remembering their annual trips to Goodison Park.
Members of the RPO have written tributes to their colleague Tim on the orchestra website, recalling his friendship, energy – as well as his devotion to his instrument, the oboe.