David Willcocks

Choral conductor, organist, and composer Sir David Willcocks – born in Newquay, Cornwall, England on December 30, 1919 - was considered one of the greatest choir conductors of the 20th century. His musical journey began when he trained in singing with the Westminster Abbey choir between 1929 and 1933. He then studied under Douglas Fox at Clifton College in Bristol, England from 1934 to 1938 before continuing at the Royal Academy of Music in London. While attending King’s College in Cambridge, he was appointed organist in 1939. After serving as an officer in the British Army during the Second World War – where he was decorated with the Military Cross for his actions during the Battle of Normandy – he completed his studies at Kings College. David Willcocks then served as organist and conductor at Salisbury Cathedral from 1947 to 1950 before assuming the same position at Westminster Cathedral from 1950 to 1957. He conducted the Three Festival Choirs three times (1951, 1954, and 1957) and the Birmingham City Choir as well as serving as conductor of the Bradford Choral Festival Society between 1956 and 1974. David Willcocks is best remembered for his tenure as the Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge, where he served from 1957 until 1974. He made numerous recordings with the Choir of King’s College choir including A Festival of Lessons and Carols with organist Simon Preston (1959), Tudor Church Music (1962), Haydn: The Nelson Mass (1962), Handel: Coronation Anthems (1962), Palestrina: Stabat Mater ( 1964), Vivaldi: Gloria - Pergolesi: Magnificat (1966), Fauré: Requiem (1968), Bach: Motets (1968), Handel: Messiah (1973) and Anthems from King's (1974). David Willcocks also served as Director of the Royal College of Music from 1974 to 1984. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1971 and named Knight Bachelor in 1977. While David Willcocks’ long and respected career features more than 100 releases, he is best remembered internationally for his albums of Christmas carols including Family Carols (1965), More Family Carols (1967), The World of Christmas (1970), Carols from King's College (1997), and the compilation Essential Carols (2005). David Willcocks died on September 17, 2015, at the age of 95.

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