Stephen Wilkinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Wilkinson
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| Born | 29 April 1919 Cambridgeshire, England
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| Died | 10 August 2021 (aged 102) |
| Occupation | Choral conductor, composer |
| Spouse(s) | Delyth Wilkinson |
| Children | 6, including Clare Wilkinson |
Stephen Austin Wilkinson (born April 29, 1919 – died August 10, 2021) was a talented British musician. He was famous for leading choirs and writing music. He was known as a conductor and composer.
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Early Life
Stephen Wilkinson was born in Cambridgeshire, England. This was on April 29, 1919. He started as a chorister, which is a choir singer, at Christ Church, Oxford. Later, he studied at St. Edward's, Oxford. He also took some lessons in composing music. In 1937, he went to Queens' College, Cambridge. There, he was an Organ Scholar. This means he was a student who played the organ. He was also a very active pianist. He even helped restart a club for students who wanted to write music.
War Service
During the Second World War, Stephen served in the Royal Navy. First, he worked on ships that protected other ships. These were called Atlantic convoys. Then, for two years, he was a mine disposal officer. This meant he helped remove dangerous mines. He was stationed in the Faroe Islands during this time. In 1944, he had an accident and had to leave the navy. He returned to Cambridge. He finished his music degree in 1946. He was praised for his "courage and devotion to duty."
Music Career
From 1947 to 1953, Stephen directed the Hertfordshire Rural Music School. He led the Hertford Choir. They even asked a young composer, Antony Hopkins, to write music for them. Stephen always enjoyed working with people who loved music but were not professionals.
Working with the BBC
From 1953 to 1979, Stephen worked for the BBC. This is the British Broadcasting Corporation. He first worked in Leeds, then moved to Manchester in 1961. He started working with the BBC Northern Singers in 1954. He led this choir for many years. They became very well-known. They performed at big music events like the Aldeburgh Festival and The Proms. One newspaper called them "a choir to equal, or even outshine, any in this country." The choir also traveled to many countries. They visited Ireland, Australia, and Hong Kong.
Supporting New Music
Stephen Wilkinson loved new music. He often asked composers to write new pieces for his choir. He helped many new works be performed for the first time. Some famous composers he worked with include William Walton and Gustav Holst. His choir also made many recordings. One of their albums was called Spring Song. Reviewers praised his work. One said, "In the field of choral music, Stephen Wilkinson is a genius."
Working with Other Groups
Stephen also worked with other professional choirs. These included the BBC Singers in London. But he still worked with amateur musicians too. He led many music courses. He also taught choral courses in Italy for ten years. He started singing workshops in Manchester.
William Byrd Singers
For almost 40 years, Stephen was the conductor of the William Byrd Singers. This was a choir in Manchester. He became a very respected person in the Manchester music scene. This choir also commissioned new music and went on tours. Stephen retired from leading the William Byrd Singers in 2009. He was 90 years old.
Capriccio Ensemble
In 1991, Stephen noticed there was no training orchestra for young string players in Manchester. So, he started a group called Capriccio. It was a way for young musicians to get better. It helped them prepare for groups like the National Youth Orchestra. The choir and Capriccio even recorded two CDs together. Many young musicians from Capriccio went on to have successful careers.
Composing Music
After he retired from conducting, Stephen spent more time writing his own music. A CD of his choir music, called Dover Beach, was released in 2012. He wrote a piece called A Phoenix Hour. It was first performed at the Aldeburgh Festival. He also wrote pieces for other choirs, like Tarira from the Faroe Islands. Stephen wrote many songs for solo singers too. Some of his works were written for his daughter, Clare Wilkinson. She is a mezzo-soprano singer. You can find many of his songs and choral works in music books.
Recognition and Last Years
Manchester University gave Stephen an honorary MA degree in 1982. He was also awarded an MBE in 1992. This was for his great work in choral music. For his 70th birthday, he was featured on BBC Radio 3. Many composers wrote music especially for him to celebrate his birthday. His 80th birthday was celebrated with two concerts in Cambridge.
In 1945, Stephen married Anna Dam. He had met her in the Faroe Islands. He even learned the Faroese language for her. They had four children together. Anna passed away in 1975. Later that year, he married Delyth Jones. With Delyth, he had two more daughters. Stephen lived in Altrincham, Cheshire, for over 50 years. Four of his six children also became musicians.
In his later years, he started a new role. He would read for concerts with his daughter Clare's music group. He performed with them at various music festivals. Stephen Wilkinson passed away on August 10, 2021. He was 102 years old.
