Stephen Cleobury

Sir Stephen John Cleobury ( ; 31 December 1948 – 22 November 2019) was an English organist and music director. He worked with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, where he served as music director from 1982 to 2019, and with the BBC Singers.

King's College has worldwide fame for its Christmas music, having performed a live broadcast on the BBC on Christmas Eve since 1928. During his long tenure as Director of Music, Cleobury made the singers even better known by tours and recordings. From 1984 he introduced the commission of a new Christmas carol annually. Among many honours, he was honorary fellow of the Royal School of Church Music, and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2019 before he died of cancer that November at the age of 70.

Life Early years Stephen John Cleobury was born in Bromley, Kent, the son of John F. Cleobury and Brenda J. Randall. He sang as a chorister at Worcester Cathedral under Douglas Guest then Christopher Robinson.

King's College, Cambridge In 1982 Cleobury succeeded Philip Ledger as Director of Music for the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, where he also taught music. The high-profile performance of these commissions allowed the widespread dissemination of sophisticated contemporary choral music.

Cleobury introduced singing lessons for the choristers and expanded the repertoire to include more singing in Latin, He retired on 30 September 2019, and was succeeded at King's College by Daniel Hyde.

Beyond Cambridge Cleobury was president of the Royal College of Organists from 1990 to 1992. He was chief conductor of the BBC Singers from 1995 to 2007, and was then their conductor laureate. The latter was given at the King's College Chapel, and combined the world premiere of Thomas Simaku's The Scream with Hubert Parry's Songs of Farewell, and Duruflé's Notre Père and Requiem. In the concert celebrating the choir's 90th anniversary on 24 September 2014, he was one of four conductors to lead compositions written for the group. Cleobury served as a visiting fellow at the Louisiana State University School of Music for 2013–2014.

Personal life Cleobury's brother Nicholas is also a conductor and his sister is a musician and teacher. Cleobury lived with his second wife, Emma Disley, whom he married in 2004, and their two daughters. He died of cancer in his hometown of York, on 22 November 2019, the liturgical feast day of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of organ players and musicians. In 2008 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours and was knighted in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to choral music.

Recordings CD As conductor 2020 – Bach: St Matthew Passion (released posthumously) 2019 – Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles 2019 – Howells: Cello Concerto & An English Mass 2019 – The Music of King's: Choral Favourites from Cambridge 2018 – 100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols 2018 – Byrd: Motets 2018 – 再别康桥 (Second Farewell to Cambridge) 2017 – Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem & Bernstein: Chichester Psalms 2017 – Bach: St John Passion 2016 – Evensong Live 2016 2016 – Hymns from King's 2015 – 1615 Gabrieli in Venice 2015 – Evensong Live 2015 2015 – English Hymn Anthems 2014 – Favourite Carols from King's 2014 – Fauré Requiem 2013 – Britten: Saint Nicolas (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 2013 – Mozart: Requiem Realisations (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 2012 – Nine Lessons & Carols (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 2007 – I Heard a Voice – Music From the Golden Age, Works by Weelkes, Gibbons and Tomkins (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Oliver Brett, Peter Stevens) 2006 – Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with Susan Gritton, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Evgenia Rubinova and Jose Gallardo)

2003 – Bach: Johannes-Passion (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with John Mark Ainsley, Stephen Richardson, Catherine Bott, Michael Chance, Paul Agnew, and Stephen Varcoe) 2002 – Vivaldi: Gloria, RV 589 / Dixit Dominus, RV 594 / Magnificat, RV 610 (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with the Academy of Ancient Music) 2001 – Howells: Te Deum & Jubilate (Choir of King's College Cambridge) 2000 – Handel: Israel in Egypt (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Ian Bostridge, Michael Chance, Susan Gritton, Stephen Varcoe) 2000 – Best Loved Hymns (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1999 – Rachmaninov: Vespers (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1998 – John Rutter: Requiem (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1997 – Stanford: Evening Services in C and G (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1996 – The King's Collection (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1996 – Allegri: Miserere (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1995 – Handel: Dixit Dominus (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1994 – Ikos (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1994 – Handel: Messiah (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with Lynne Dawson, Hilary Summers, John Mark Ainsley and Alastair Miles) 1994 – Bach: St Matthew Passion (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with Rogers Covey-Crump, Michael George, Emma Kirkby, Michael Chance, Martyn Hill, David Thomas) 1990 – Tallis: Spem in alium, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Responsaries (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1989 – Fauré: Requiem; Duruflé: Requiem (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Olaf Bär, Ann Murray) 1984 – O Come All Ye Faithful (Favourite Christmas Carols) (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)

As organist 2019 – Herbert Howells’ An English Mass 2017 – The King of Instruments: A Voice Reborn 2009 – The Grand Organ of King's College 2007 – Organ Classics from King's 2004 – British Organ Music from King's 1993 – Organ Favourites from King's College, Cambridge

DVD As conductor: 2014 – Carols from King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 2002 – Anthems from King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1996 – Bach: "Johannes-Passion" (Choir of King's College, Cambridge) 1993 – Handel: "Messiah" (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)