Christmas Carols - John Rutter

It's not often I sit down and listen to the radio, but as I was driving back from Tadcaster this afternoon, I had Classic Fm on (as I usually do), and I heard that the classic interview by Nick Ferrari tonight at 9.00 pm was with John Rutter.

Those of you who know me will be well aware that John Rutter is one of my favourite composers. He is very much to the fore at Christmastime, because of the great number of carols he has arranged and written.

John Rutter

John was born in London in 1945, and attended Highgate School. One of his contemporaries was Sir John Tavener another composer. He read music at Clare College Cambridge, where he was a member of the choir. Between 1975 and 1979 he was musical director of the college.

In 1981 he founded his own choir - the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts, and which have made many recordings on his own record label - Collegium Records.

Interestingly one of John Rutter's best friends is Bob Chilcott (ex member of the King's Singers. who as a younger person sang in King's College Choir.

John is co editor, with Sir David Willcocks of the Carols for Choirs Collections.

It is a pretty safe bet that between now and Dec 25th you will hear at least one of John Rutter's original carols or arrangements of the perennial carol favourites.