Trevor Noël Goodwin (25 December 1927 – 27 March 2013) was an English music critic, dance critic and author who specialized in classical music and ballet.[2] Described as having a "rare ability to write about music and dance with equal distinction",[3] for 22 years Goodwin was Chief music and dance critic for the Daily Express. He held criticism posts at many English newspapers, including the News Chronicle, Truth and The Manchester Guardian among others; from 1978 to 1998 he also reviewed performances for The Times. Goodwin wrote an early history of the Scottish Ballet and was coauthor for two books: London Symphony: Portrait of an Orchestra with Hubert J. Foss and a Knight at the Opera with Geraint Evans.
In 1952, Goodwin received two posts in arts criticism: he was the assistant music critic of the News Chronicle until 1954 and Music Critic for Truth until 1956. From 1954 to 1955, Goodwin was also a critic for The Manchester Guardian. In 1956, Goodwin became chief music critic and chief dance critic for the Daily Express; he stayed there for 22 years, leaving the post in 1978.[3][2] From then to 1998, Goodwin reviewed performances for The Times.[3]
The Times described Goodwin as having a "rare ability to write about music and dance with equal distinction".[3] Reflecting on his role as a music critic, Goodwin said:
"As a music critic in daily journalism for mass circulation my purpose, as I see it, is first to stimulate enthusiasm over the widest possible range of music and then to discriminate in matters of taste and standards. Encouraging in awareness and enjoyment of music as an art as well as entertainment I regard as essential among a steadily growing but hesitant and often suspicious public, for without it there can be no adequate discrimination."[4]
Goodwin was a member of the Gulbenkian Foundation's Dance Advisory Panel from 1972 to 1976, helping found the International Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers.[3] Goodwin died on 27 March 2013.[3]