Roger Norrington

Sir Roger Arthur Carver Norrington (16 March 1934 – 18 July 2025) was a British conductor. He was known for conducting music from historical periods using period instruments.

Life
Norrington studied at Clare College, Cambridge and the Royal College of Music where his teachers included  Adrian Boult.

Norrington started his career singing tenor.  In 1962, he formed the Schütz Choir (later the Schütz Choir of London). From 1969 to 1984, he was conductor (music director) of Kent Opera. In 1978, he formed the London Classical Players and he conducted them until 1997.  From 1985 to 1989, he was Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. From 1990 to 1994, he was music director of the Orchestra of St. Luke's. In 1998, he became principal conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.  He became Artistic Advisor of the Handel and Haydn Society in 2006.

Norrington is best known for performances of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music using period instruments and period style.  He likes his orchestras to play with very little vibrato.

He conducted the Last Night of The Proms for the first time on 13 September 2008.

Norrington was made an OBE in 1980, a CBE in 1990 and a Knight Bachelor in 1997.

Norrington died on 18 July 2025 in Exeter, England at the age of 91.

References

Category:British conductors
Category:Performers of early music
Category:1934 births
Category:2025 deaths
Category:British Grammy Award winners
Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Knights Bachelor