Sir John Rutter CBE: Artist Laureate

Artist Laureate

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.

John’s compositional career has embraced both large and small-scale choral works, orchestral and instrumental pieces, a piano concerto, two children’s operas, music for television, and specialist writing for such groups as the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and The King’s Singers. His larger choral works, Gloria (1974), Requiem (1985), Magnificat (1990), Psalmfest (1993), Mass of the Children (2003) and Visions (2016) have been performed many times in Britain, North America, and a growing number of other countries. His music has featured in a number of British royal occasions, including two royal weddings.

He co-edited four volumes in the Carols for Choirs series with Sir David Willcocks, and, more recently, has edited three volumes in the Oxford Choral Classics series, Opera Choruses (1995), European Sacred Music (1996) and Sacred Choruses (2016).

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 College 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 has guest-conducted and lectured at many concert halls, universities, churches, music festivals and conferences in Europe, Africa, North and Central America and Australasia.

In 1980, he was made an honorary Fellow of Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and in 1988 he became a Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. He is an Honorary Life Member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and was recently appointed as its Artist Laureate.

In 1996, the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred a Lambeth Doctorate of Music upon him in recognition of his contribution to church music. He was honoured in the 2007 New Year Honours List, being awarded a CBE for services to music. In September 2023, he received the Ivors Academy Fellowship, and was knighted in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.

John’s numerous recordings include the recently released In the Poet’s Garden and Reflections, both with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as many Christmas CDs.

Most of John’s sheet music is published by Oxford University Press.