Michael Kibblewhite (OW 1963)

Michael Kibblewhite (photo: Howard Rankin)

7 September 1944 – November 2023

The Waynflete Office has been informed of the death of Michael Kibblewhite. We send our condolences to Michael’s family and friends.

Whilst at MCS Michael was a chorister (53-59) and head chorister (57-59). He then read music at Trinity College, Cambridge. His life in music continued after university and Michael was widely recognised as one of the UK’s most inspirational choral directors.

After relinquishing the Music Directorship of Cantate Youth Choir and King’s Lynn Festival Chorus in 2009, Michael Kibblewhite moved to Abruzzo, Italy, where he conducted the Coro Val Fino and various young choirs. He regularly returned to the UK to work with the National Youth Choir of Scotland and Amici Cantate. His engagements included a visit to the USA as a clinician with the Peabody Children’s Chorus in Baltimore and the St. Paul’s School for Boys in Washington, as well as collaborations with the Coro Santa Maria Maddalena and Coro Aurora in Italy. In June 2011, he directed a concert at the Thaxted Festival with young “Britain’s Got Talent” celebrity Faryl Smith as the soloist.

Throughout his career, Michael founded and directed several renowned choirs, including the Cambridge Chorale (winners of both the Mixed Voice Competition and the Grand Audience Prize at the 2002 Riva del Garda International Choral Competition), East London Chorus, English Festival Voices, Harlow Chorus, Harlow Boys Choir, Hertfordshire Chorus, and King’s Lynn Festival Chorus. He was especially committed to nurturing young voices, directing courses for the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and guest-conducting five American youth choirs in the Somerset International Youth Chorus Festival. In 1994, he founded Cantate Youth Choir, which under his 15-year directorship became one of the UK’s most outstanding youth choirs. Its accolades included the Sainsbury’s Children’s Choir of the Year Award in 2000, First Prize Cum Laude at the 2006 Europees Muziekfestival in Neerpelt, Belgium, and the UK’s only Gold Medal in the 2008 World Choir Games in Graz, Austria.

Michael conducted in many countries, including Japan (with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra and Osaka Symphonic Choir), Denmark (with the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and Chorus), Italy (with the Orchestra da Camera di Padova), the USA, Israel, and most European nations. He recorded extensively, and his choirs were frequently featured on BBC television (notably on Songs of Praise), as well as on Radio 2, 3, and 4 (including Desert Island Discs) and Classic FM.

Michael leaves behind a legacy of choral excellence and inspiration.