Andrew Carwood
Encyclopedia
Andrew Carwood is the Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral
in London and director of his own group, The Cardinall's Musick
.
under Dr George Guest
, a lay clerk
at Christ Church, Oxford
and Westminster Cathedral
, London before holding the post of Director of Music at the London Oratory
Church in London for five years. He is now Artistic Director of The Cardinall's Musick
and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral
in London.
to the role of the Male Chorus in Benjamin Britten
’s The Rape of Lucretia and for music of the Baroque. He has performed with many of the leading British ensembles both on disc and on the concert platform throughout the world, including the Tallis Scholars
, the Orlando Consort
, the Oxford Camerata and Pro Cantione Antiqua
, and has undertaken solo roles for George Guest
, Sir Roger Norrington
, Joshua Rifkin
, Harry Christophers
, Richard Hickox
, Paul McCreesh
, Stephen Darlington
, Philippe Herreweghe
, Robert King
and Christopher Hogwood
. His discography includes works by Hassler
, Vivaldi
, Purcell
, Haydn
, Warlock
, Grainger
, Howells
, Poulenc
, Janáček
and Christopher Headington
. He is represented by Rayfield Artists.
As a conductor he also works with The Cardinall’s Musick and together they have performed throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. With them he has made over thirty recordings of renaissance music and now records for Hyperion Records
. He has become a widely acknowledged expert on music of the 16th and 17th centuries and is also known for the scholarly and entertaining way in which he introduces and narrates concerts, breaking down barriers between audience and performers and allowing the music to speak in an even more eloquent way. Carwood has also worked as guest conductor with The Sixteen
, The King’s Consort and the BBC Singers
.
He was the Music Advisor for the National Theatre
’s 2001 production of Luther
by John Osborne
, and in 1995, 2006 and 2007 he won the Gramophone Early Music Award
. He is Director of the Schola Cantorum at the annual Edington Festival and was made an Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
in 2005. In 2007 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers
. In 2010 he once again won the Gramophone Award for Early Music and the Gramophone Record of the Year Award.
He was appointed to succeed Malcolm Archer
as Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral
, London, taking up the post in September 2007, the first non-organist to hold the post since the 12th century.
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in London and director of his own group, The Cardinall's Musick
The Cardinall's Musick
The Cardinall's Musick is a United Kingdom-based vocal ensemble specialising in music of the 16th and 17th centuries and contemporary music. They have earned themselves an enviable reputation around the world both for the excellence of their voices and the way in which they work together as a...
.
Biography
He was educated at The John Lyon School, Harrow and was a choral scholar in the Choir of St John's College, CambridgeChoir of St John's College, Cambridge
The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, is a collegiate choir of the English cathedral tradition. Though early records are obscure, it is known that its origins can be traced to the original foundation of the College in 1511. As well as daily singing of the liturgy in the college Chapel, it...
under Dr George Guest
George Guest
George Guest was a Welsh organist and choral conductor.- Birth and early life :George Guest was born in Bangor, Wales. His father was an organist, and George assisted him by acting as organ blower. He became a chorister at Bangor Cathedral, and subsequently at Chester Cathedral, where he...
, a lay clerk
Lay clerk
A lay clerk, also known as a lay vicar, song man or a vicar choral, is a professional adult singer in a Cathedral or collegiate choir in the United Kingdom. The Vicars Choral were substitutes for the Canons...
at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
and Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
, London before holding the post of Director of Music at the London Oratory
London Oratory
The London Oratory is a Catholic oratory, a community of lay-brothers, and the name given to the London Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri...
Church in London for five years. He is now Artistic Director of The Cardinall's Musick
The Cardinall's Musick
The Cardinall's Musick is a United Kingdom-based vocal ensemble specialising in music of the 16th and 17th centuries and contemporary music. They have earned themselves an enviable reputation around the world both for the excellence of their voices and the way in which they work together as a...
and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
in London.
Career
As a singer he is particularly known for his performances of the English repertoire, from consort songs by William ByrdWilliam Byrd
William Byrd was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard and consort music.-Provenance:Knowledge of Byrd's biography expanded in the late 20th century, thanks largely...
to the role of the Male Chorus in Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
’s The Rape of Lucretia and for music of the Baroque. He has performed with many of the leading British ensembles both on disc and on the concert platform throughout the world, including the Tallis Scholars
Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars are a British vocal ensemble normally consisting of two singers per part, with a core group of ten singers.Formed in 1973 by their director Peter Phillips, they specialise in performing a cappella sacred vocal music written during the Renaissance by composers from all over Europe...
, the Orlando Consort
Orlando Consort
The Orlando Consort is a British vocal consort which is best known for performing renaissance choral music one voice to a part. The Consort was founded in 1988 as part of the activities of the Early Music Centre of Great Britain, a forerunner of the NCEM, York....
, the Oxford Camerata and Pro Cantione Antiqua
Pro Cantione Antiqua
Pro Cantione Antiqua of London are a British choral group who were founded in 1968 by Tenor James Griffett, Counter-tenor Paul Esswood, and conductor and producer Mark Brown. From an early stage they were closely associated with conductor and musicologist Bruno Turner...
, and has undertaken solo roles for George Guest
George Guest
George Guest was a Welsh organist and choral conductor.- Birth and early life :George Guest was born in Bangor, Wales. His father was an organist, and George assisted him by acting as organ blower. He became a chorister at Bangor Cathedral, and subsequently at Chester Cathedral, where he...
, Sir Roger Norrington
Roger Norrington
Sir Roger Arthur Carver Norrington, CBE is a British conductor. He is the son of Sir Arthur Norrington and his brother is Humphrey Thomas Norrington....
, Joshua Rifkin
Joshua Rifkin
Joshua Rifkin is an American conductor, keyboard player, and musicologist. He is best known by the general public for having played a central role in the ragtime revival in the 1970s with the three albums he recorded of Scott Joplin's works for Nonesuch Records, and to classical musicians for his...
, Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers is an English conductor. He attended the King's School, Canterbury and was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral under choirmaster Allan Wicks and played clarinet in the school orchestra alongside Andrew Marriner...
, Richard Hickox
Richard Hickox
Richard Sidney Hickox CBE was an English conductor of choral, orchestral and operatic music.-Early life:Hickox was born in Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire into a musical family...
, Paul McCreesh
Paul McCreesh
Paul McCreesh is an English conductor.Paul McCreesh is founder and artistic director of the Gabrieli Consort & Players, with whom he has established himself at the highest level in the period instrument field; he is recognised for his authoritative and innovative performances on the concert...
, Stephen Darlington
Stephen Darlington
Stephen Darlington is a British choral director and conductor, and president of the Royal College of Organists from 1999-2001.During the early 1970s Darlington was organ scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, studying under Simon Preston...
, Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe is a Flemish conductor.In his school years at the University of Ghent, Herreweghe combined studies in medical science and psychiatry with a musical education at the Ghent Conservatory, where Marcel Gazelle, Yehudi Menuhin's accompanist, was his piano teacher...
, Robert King
Robert King (conductor)
Robert King is an English conductor and harpsichordist. As a youth, he was a member of the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge...
and Christopher Hogwood
Christopher Hogwood
Christopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood CBE, MA , HonMusD , born 10 September 1941, Nottingham, is an English conductor, harpsichordist, writer and musicologist, well known as the founder of the Academy of Ancient Music.-Biography:...
. His discography includes works by Hassler
Hans Leo Hassler
Hans Leo Hassler was a German composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, elder brother of the less-famous Jakob Hassler...
, Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
, Purcell
Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...
, Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
, Warlock
Peter Warlock
Peter Warlock was a pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine , an Anglo-Welsh composer and music critic. He used the pseudonym when composing, and is now better known by this name....
, Grainger
Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
, Howells
Herbert Howells
Herbert Norman Howells CH was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music.-Life:...
, Poulenc
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc was a French composer and a member of the French group Les six. He composed solo piano music, chamber music, oratorio, choral music, opera, ballet music, and orchestral music...
, Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
and Christopher Headington
Christopher Headington
Christopher Headington was an English composer and pianist.Born in London, he studied at Lancing College and the Royal Academy of Music, later studying composition with Lennox Berkeley...
. He is represented by Rayfield Artists.
As a conductor he also works with The Cardinall’s Musick and together they have performed throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. With them he has made over thirty recordings of renaissance music and now records for Hyperion Records
Hyperion Records
Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label.-History:The company was named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology. It was founded by George Edward Perry, widely known as "Ted", in 1980. Early LP releases included rarely recorded 20th century British music by...
. He has become a widely acknowledged expert on music of the 16th and 17th centuries and is also known for the scholarly and entertaining way in which he introduces and narrates concerts, breaking down barriers between audience and performers and allowing the music to speak in an even more eloquent way. Carwood has also worked as guest conductor with The Sixteen
The Sixteen
The Sixteen are a choir and period instrument orchestra; founded by Harry Christophers in 1979.The group's special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, bringing fresh insights into Baroque and early Classical music and a diversity of 20th century...
, The King’s Consort and the BBC Singers
BBC Singers
The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...
.
He was the Music Advisor for the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
’s 2001 production of Luther
Luther (play)
Luther is a 1961 play by John Osborne that explored the forces that were involved in the life of Martin Luther, one of the instigators of the Protestant Reformation. Osborne was influenced by Erik Erikson's book, Young Man Luther, which had been published three years prior in 1958. In the play,...
by John Osborne
John Osborne
John James Osborne was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor and critic of the Establishment. The success of his 1956 play Look Back in Anger transformed English theatre....
, and in 1995, 2006 and 2007 he won the Gramophone Early Music Award
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Awards are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry, often referred to as the Oscars for classical music. The winners are selected annually by critics for the Gramophone magazine and various members of the industry, including...
. He is Director of the Schola Cantorum at the annual Edington Festival and was made an Associate of the Royal School of Church Music
Royal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
in 2005. In 2007 he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Singers
BBC Singers
The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...
. In 2010 he once again won the Gramophone Award for Early Music and the Gramophone Record of the Year Award.
He was appointed to succeed Malcolm Archer
Malcolm Archer
Malcolm Archer is an English organist, conductor and composer. He combines this work with a recital career. Archer was formerly Organist and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, and is now Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College....
as Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, London, taking up the post in September 2007, the first non-organist to hold the post since the 12th century.