John Rutter

Conductor and composer John Rutter CBE – born in London, England on September 24, 1945 - has been described in the Telegraph as ‘the carol singers' shining star’ as many dozens of his classically arranged Christmas songs are sung by professional and amateur choirs around the world every year. Also a choral conductor, music scholar and editor, he formed the professional chamber ensemble, the Cambridge Singers in 1981 and achieved wide renown for their recordings. John Rutter began his choral education at Highgate School and studied music at Clare College, Cambridge. His earliest compositions were written there and while a student he conducted his first recording. He became Director of Music at Clare College in 1975 and, for the next four years, he directed its choir in radio broadcasts and on record. As a composer he has created small pieces for choir and larger works for orchestra plus operas and television scores: “Gloria,” “Requiem,” “Magnificat,” “Psalmfest,” and “Mass of Children” are among the larger choral compositions that have been performed internationally. John Rutter has edited volumes of carols, choral classics, operas, and sacred music and has delivered lectures at universities and conferences and in churches and concert halls around the world. In 2007, John Rutter was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). While his recordings date back to 1967, his most popular releases are his Christmas recordings with the Cambridge Singers including The Music of Christmas (1982), Hurry to Bethlehem: The Christmas Music of John Rutter (1985), Christmas Night. Carols of the Nativity (1987), Christmas Day in the Morning (1993), A Christmas Festival (2008), The Colours of Christmas (2012), and Christmas Star: A Christmas Festival (2013). Other releases include This is the Day: Music on Royal Occasions (2012), Blessing (2012), Visions & Requiem (2016), Rutter: Magnificat (2017), and Classical Tranquility (2023).

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