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About Donald Hunt
Hometown
Worcester, England, UK
Born
1930
Genre
Classical
From the mid-20th century, Donald Hunt built a career as one of the more important and distinguished English choral conductors. He was best known for his interpretations of British sacred music and garnered much critical acclaim for his readings of works in that genre by Elgar, Finzi, Holst, Herbert Sumsion, William Llewellyn, Judith Weir, and others. Yet he was by no means limited to the British realm, as his highly praised renditions of choral music by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Bruckner attest.
Hunt was born on July 26, 1930, in Gloucester, England. In his youth, he served as a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral and, from age 13, studied under composer Herbert Sumsion, who was organist there. Hunt became his assistant at age 17 and later earned a doctorate from Leeds University (1975). Hunt's debut concert as a conductor came in 1957 when he led the Halifax Choral Society in Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, a work he became strongly identified with. From 1958-1975, Hunt was organist and choirmaster at Leeds Parish Church. During this period, he held other positions concurrently: from 1961-1975, he was the associate conductor and chorus master of the Leeds Philharmonic Society and held similar posts with the Halifax Choral Society and Leeds Festival Chorus.
From 1976-1996, Hunt served as master of choristers and organist at Worcester Cathedral. During his tenure at Worcester, he developed a close relationship with the Three Choirs Festival, held every August at alternating locations (Hereford, Gloucester, and Worcester counties). Hunt served as artistic director and conductor at the festival eight times from 1975-1996. Following his 1996 departure, he remained busy, serving as principal of the Elgar School of Music in Worcester (becoming music advisor after 2007) and leading many choral performances, including several at the 150th Elgar Anniversary Festival at Worcester in 2007.
In 1993, Hunt was given the rank of Officer of the British Empire. He also composed a significant body of choral and organ music, the Hymnus Paschalis (1995), for three choirs, being among his most important large works. He wrote several notable books, including the 1999 Elgar and the Three Choirs Festival (Osborne Books). Hunt also served as a lecturer at Leeds College of Music. In addition, he made a number of recordings, most available from Naxos, Hyperion (Helios), and Priory Records. Hunt died in Worcester on August 4, 2018. ~ Robert Cummings
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