| Biography | Richard Cooke was appointed Conductor of the Royal Choral Society in 1995, becoming Music Director in 1998, and has appeared with us in many concerts in the Royal Festival and Royal Albert Halls. Most notable of these have been their annual Good Friday performances of Handels Messiah, and spectacular Christmas Carol concerts. He has directed concerts with the RCS in the cathedrals of Peterborough, Winchester, Salisbury and Southwark. He has also recorded Orffs Carmina Burana with us together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Richard was a chorister of St. Pauls Cathedral and Choral Scholar in the choir of Kings College, Cambridge, where he conducted all the main university orchestras. He was Conductor of the London Philharmonic Choir from 19821991.
He has been Music Director of Canterbury Choral Society for 26 years and the University of Essex Choir for 30 years. Both have established strong reputations in their respective parts of the country, performing regularly in Canterbury Cathedral, Snape Maltings, Norwich Cathedral and other venues. With Canterbury Choral Society he has recorded Elgars oratorio The Apostles with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Ultimate Last Night of the Proms together with the RPO. Performances have included Mahler Symphonies No. 2, 3 and 8, Berlioz Grand Messe des Morts and La Damnation de Faust, Bachs Mass in B Minor, Janaceks Glagolitic Mass , Prokovievs Alexander Nevsky, Brittens War Requiem (including the first ever performance in Snape Maltings) and Beethovens Missa Solemnis.
Richard Cooke was made an Honorary Doctor of Music at the University of Kent in 2010, and an Honorary Doctor at the University of Essex in 1996, in recognition of his contribution to musical life both in Canterbury and Essex. |