Local navigation

Sir David Willcocks

Biography

Born in 1919, Sir David Willcocks began his musical career as a chorister at Westminster Abbey, later winning scholarships to Clifton College and King's College, Cambridge. Following war service, he was elected Fellow of King's College, and later became Organist of Salisbury and Worcester Cathedrals, conducting the Three Choirs Festival whilst at Worcester. Willcocks returned to King's College, Cambridge as Director of Music from 1957-1974, with the first collection of his arrangements in the Carols for Choirs series publishing in 1961. He was Director of Music at the Royal College of Music from 1974-1984, and was knighted in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Honours List in 1977. Willcocks also conducted The Bach Choir for 38 years, retiring in 1998. Sir David maintains a busy schedule of concerts and recordings, including recent visits to the USA, Canada and Europe.

I saw three ships
David Willcocks will celebrate his 91st birthday on December 30th - and is still active as conductor and adjudicator. This arrangement of the traditional English carol was made 50 years ago during the period he spent as Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge. This recording was made at a recent Come & Sing outreach project, with the BBC Singers joined by over 400 amateur performers.
More like this: Robert Pearsall, arr. - In dulci jubilo
Pearsall wrote many choral works for massed voices, including the anthem Lay a Garland which was originally intended for a body of more than 200 singers. Here he arranges a popular melody into an increasingly intricate canvas.
More Carols