Newton was born in Limehouse, London. His studies were with York Bowen, Isidor Snook in Amsterdam, Raimund von zur-Mühlen, Coenraad V. Bos in Berlin, and Victor Beigel in London.[1]
In 1926 he persuaded William Primrose, then a violinist, to study with Eugène Ysaÿe, who, in turn persuaded him to take up the viola, the instrument that made him famous.[2]
In 1940 he organised a concert at the UK Embassy in Washington in aid of British War Relief. He was also a member of concert parties entertaining troops in Egypt, Iraq, Iran and the Persian Gulf.[1]
Kirsten Flagstad was known for never changing her mind once it was made up. However, Ivor Newton managed to persuade her to come out of retirement for a Prom Concert in 1957 honouring the 50th anniversary of the death of her countryman Edvard Grieg.[3]
In 1966 he published an autobiography, At the Piano: the world of an accompanist (London: Hamish Hamilton). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1973.[4]
Ivor Newton lived for much of his retirement in Old Portsmouth. He died in Bromley in 1981. He bequeathed his estate to create the Ivor Newton House, a retirement home for musicians in Bromley.[5] It was run by the Musicians' Benevolent Fund, which announced in 2008 its intention to close Ivor Newton House in October 2009.[6] Notable occupants had included Vilém Tauský, Stanford Robinson,[7] Roy Henderson,[8] and Richard Arnell.[9]
