By Alan Brandt
John Rutter was born in London in 1945 and received his first musical education as a chorister at Highgate School. He went on to study music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he wrote his first published compositions and conducted his first recording while still a student. His compositional career spans both large and small-scale choral works, orchestral and instrumental pieces, a piano concerto, two children's operas, music for television, and works for such groups as the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the King's Singers.
From 1975 to 1979 he was Director of Music at Clare College, whose choir he directed in a number of broadcasts and recordings. After giving up the Clare post to allow more time for composition, he formed the Cambridge Singers as a professional chamber choir primarily dedicated to recording, and he now divides his time between composition and conducting.
John Rutter's orchestra music will be featured on this week's An English Pastorale, Sunday at 9 am.
Alan Brandt is a senior announcer at WUOL and as been on the Louisville public radio airwaves for 30 years.