James Whitbourn

James Whitbourn was born in Kent and educated at Skinners' School and Magdalen College, Oxford,[1] where he studied Music. His international reputation as a composer developed from his early career as a programme maker at the BBC, during which he produced many award-winning programmes and developed a style known for its direct connection with audiences. His close association with the BBC Philharmonic resulted in three large-scale commissions for voices and orchestra. His "Son of God Mass" has had many performances worldwide, especially in the USA and Europe. In 2005, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with the Choir of Clare College Cambridge, under Leonard Slatkin, premiered his largest choral work Annelies, a setting of the Diary of Anne Frank, at London's Cadogan Hall to wide critical acclaim. The work was later re-scored in an alternative chamber version which was premiered in The Netherlands on Anne Frank's 80th birthday by the British violinist Daniel Hope and the American soprano Arianna Zukerman. He wrote a number of works for the late British tenor Robert Tear, with whom he also collaborated as librettist, including a festal setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for King's College, Cambridge, a cantata for the St Endellion Festival and three Christmas carols. Other major works include the choral work Luminosity, scored for choir, viola, organ, tanpura and percussion and written for the dance ensemble Archedream. Since 2006 his compositions have been performed in several major concerts devoted to his music at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey with whom he continues to have a close association. In 2010 the Oxford-based chamber choir Commotio released a disc of his choral music on the Naxos label, Luminosity, which attracted much attention especially in the USA. In 2011, The Williamson Voices released the second Naxos choral disc, Living Voices with the Saxophonist Jeremy Powell, and Organist Ken Cowan under conductor James Jordan. 2013 saw the release on Naxos of Annelies, with Arianna Zukerman, The Lincoln Trio, Bharat Chandra and the Westminster Williamson Voices under James Jordan. Television credits include music for the BBC's coverage of the Queen Mother's funeral, and major BBC series Son of God. Among many international awards and achievements, he has earned three GRAMMY nominations (including Best Choral Performance for Annelies and a Royal Television Society Award. He is also active as a university lecturer and holds an Honorary Research Fellowship at St. Stephen's House,[2] University of Oxford.