John Rutter was born in London, England in 1945. He began composing while studying music at Clare College, Cambridge. While an undergraduate student, he also conducted and recorded his work for the first time. From 1975 to 1979 he was the Director of Music at his alma mater. He left to pursue his career as a composer with greater focus. He founded the Cambridge Singers, and today remains the conductor. The Cambridge Singers have recorded several of Rutters works, including the majority of his sacred music and Christmas carols. He is also in high-demand as a guest conductor and lecturer throughout Europe and the Americas. He is best-known for his choral works, the most popular of which are Requiem (1985) and Magnificat (1990). He has also composed instrumental and orchestral works, opera and childrens music.
In 1980, John Rutter was made an honorary Fellow of Westminster Choir College, Princeton. In 1988, he was made a Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. His contributions to church music were recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1996, when the Archbishop awarded Rutter with a Lambeth Doctorate of Music.
