Stephen Cleobury

British Choral Conductor and Organist

Stephen Cleobury was a renowned British organist and director of music, particularly known for his work with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. He served as the Director of Music at King's College from 1982 until his retirement in 2019, and during this time, he was instrumental in maintaining and enhancing the choir's international reputation. Under his leadership, the choir performed in numerous concerts and services, including the famous annual broadcast of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve. Cleobury worked with many composers and commissioned new works to be performed by the choir. In addition to his work at King's College, he was also the Director of the Cambridge University Musical Society and held positions such as sub-organist at Westminster Abbey. Throughout his career, Cleobury made numerous recordings with the Choir of King's College, which included a wide range of choral repertoire from traditional to contemporary works. His contributions to music were recognized with several honors, including being appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to choral music. Stephen Cleobury passed away on November 22, 2019.