Frogtoon Music

Essential Christmas Carols The Very Best Of King's College Cambridge (Album) by Sir David Willcocks

Artist Biography For Sir David Willcocks

Sir David Valentine Willcocks CBE MC Born 30 December 1919 Is A British Choral Conductor Organist And Composer. His Son Jonathan Willcocks Is Also A Composer. Born In Newquay In Cornwall He Began His Musical Training As A Chorister At Westminster Abbey From 1929 To 1934. From 1934 To 1938 He Was A Music Scholar At Clifton College Bristol Before His Appointment As Organ Scholar At King's College Cambridge. After WWII He Returned To Cambridge In 1945 To Complete His Studies And In 1947 Was Elected A Fellow Of King's College And Appointed Conductor Of The Cambridge Philharmonic Society. In The Same Year He Became The Organist At Salisbury Cathedral And The Conductor Of The Salisbury Musical Society. He Moved To Worcester Cathedral In 1950 And Remained Until 1957 During Which Time He Was Organist Of The Cathedral Principal Conductor Of The Three Choirs Festival In 1951 1954 And 1957 And Conductor Of The City Of Birmingham Choir. From 1956 To 1974 He Was Also Conductor Of The Bradford Festival Choral Society Whilst Continuing As Guest Conductor For Their Carol Concerts Into The Early 1990s. From 1957 To 1974 He Held The Post For Which He Is Probably Best Known Director Of Music At King's College Cambridge. In Addition He Served As The Organist Of Cambridge University Conductor Of The Cambridge University Musical Society And As University Lecturer. He Made Numerous Recordings With The College Choir The Choir Toured Extensively Giving Concerts Worldwide As Well As Garnering Further Acclaim Internationally Through Television And Radio Appearances. Under The Baton Of Willcocks CUMS Performed Benjamin Britten's War Requiem In 1963 In Perugia Milan La Scala And In Venice. The Choir Subsequently Performed The Work In Japan Hong Kong Portugal And The Netherlands. In 1960 He Also Became The Musical Director Of The Bach Choir In London. He Held These Positions At Cambridge Until The 1970s When He Accepted The Post Of Director Of The Royal College Of Music. In The 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours He Was Appointed A Commander Of The Order Of The British Empire CBE And Was Created A Knight Bachelor In 1977 In The Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours. He Holds Honorary Degrees In England From The Universities Of Bradford Bristol Exeter Leicester And Sussex And From The Royal College Of Music In London In The USA From Luther College Iowa St. Olaf College Minnesota Rowan University And Westminster Choir College New Jersey And In Canada From The Universities Of Trinity Toronto And Victoria B.C. All In All His Honorary Degrees Number Over Fifty. He Is President Of The City Of Bath Bach Choir And Exeter Festival Chorus. He Has Made Recordings With The Bach Choir The English Chamber Orchestra The Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields The Jacques Orchestra The Philharmonia Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra As Well As With The Choir Of King's College Cambridge. He Also Served As General Editor Of The Church Music Series Of The Oxford University Press. He Is Particularly Known For His Widely-Used Choral Arrangements Of Christmas Carols Most Of Which Were Originally Written For The Service Of Nine Lessons And Carols At King's Or The Bach Choir's Christmas Concerts. They Are Published In The Five Carols For Choirs Anthologies 1961–1987 Edited By Willcocks With Reginald Jacques And John Rutter. He Is Currently Music Director Emeritus Of King's College Choir And An Honorary Fellow Of King's College Cambridge.

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POPULAR TRACKS MIXES ALBUMS
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