Robert King (conductor)
British harpsichordist and composer (1960-)
title: "Robert King (conductor)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1960-births", "alumni-of-st-john's-college,-cambridge", "living-people", "english-people-convicted-of-indecent-assault", "english-people-convicted-of-child-sexual-abuse", "british-performers-of-early-music", "founders-of-early-music-ensembles", "english-choral-conductors", "british-male-conductors-(music)", "music-directors-(opera)", "20th-century-british-conductors-(music)", "21st-century-british-conductors-(music)", "20th-century-english-criminals", "21st-century-british-male-musicians", "20th-century-british-male-musicians", "purcell-scholars"] description: "British harpsichordist and composer (1960-)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_King_(conductor)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary British harpsichordist and composer (1960-) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Robert King |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Wombourne, Staffordshire, England |
| nationality | British |
| alma_mater | St John's College, University of Cambridge |
| occupation | {{Plainlist |
| criminal_charge | Indecent assault |
| criminal_penalty | Imprisonment for three years, nine months |
| criminal_status | Released 2009 |
| website | |
| :: |
| honorific_prefix = | name = Robert King | honorific_suffix = | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Wombourne, Staffordshire, England | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | monuments = | nationality = British | education = | alma_mater = St John's College, University of Cambridge | occupation = {{Plainlist|
- Conductor
- Harpsichordist
- Editor
- Author | agent = | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | criminal_charge = Indecent assault | criminal_penalty = Imprisonment for three years, nine months | criminal_status = Released 2009 | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | awards = | website = Robert King (born 27 June 1960 in Wombourne) is an English conductor, harpsichordist, editor and author. His career has concentrated on period performance of classical music, in particular from the baroque and early modern periods. In 2007, he was convicted of indecent assault: in 2009, he resumed his musical career.
Career
As a youth, he was a member of the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. He read music at St John's College, Cambridge and in 1980, while still a student, founded the period instrument orchestra The King's Consort. As conductor and artistic director of The King's Consort, King has made more than 100 recordings, mostly for Hyperion Records.
He has worked as a conductor with orchestras in Europe and North America, including the Seattle, Houston, New World, Oregon, Detroit, Atlanta, Minnesota, WDR and NDR Symphony Orchestras, the Bergen Philharmonic, the Munich Radio Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Danish National Radio Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, the Orchestra della RAI Torino, Orchestra Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi di Milano, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, Orquesta Ciudad de Barcelona, Real Filharmonia de Galicia, Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla and the Orquesta e Coro Ciudad de Madrid. As a choral conductor, King has worked with the Nederlands Kamerkoor, Orfeo Catala, Orfeón Donostiarra, Swiss Radio Choir and the BBC Singers. Operatic work has included Handel Ottone in Japan and the UK, Handel Ezio in Paris, Purcell The Indian Queen in the UK and Germany, Purcell The Fairy Queen in Spain and Britain and Gluck Armide for Buxton Festival. He has written and presented for the BBC, been artistic director of music festivals in Sweden, Germany, and the UK, and contributed to the scores of a number of Hollywood films including Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek 2, Flushed Away, and The Da Vinci Code.
Besides his work in the field of baroque music, King has conducted a wide spread of classical and early romantic works, symphonic and choral, with a particular focus on the music of Mozart, Haydn and Mendelssohn, and a continuing specialisation in early twentieth century English composers, notably the works of Vaughan Williams, Stanford and Parry.
Having recorded mostly for Hyperion Records from 1987 until 2007, since 2012 he has recorded for the Vivat label, whose debut recording, I Was Glad, reached number 1 in the UK Specialist Classical Albums Chart and was a finalist in the 2013 Gramophone Awards. A series of recordings of the music of Purcell were finalists in the Gramophone awards in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
From 1996-2002 King was a director of PAMRA (Performing Artists Media Rights Association), a UK not-for-profit organisation set up in 1996 as a result of EU directive 92/100/EEC, Article 8(2), which gave performers the right to receive "equitable remuneration". Prior to this, “non-featured artists” (including backing musicians, orchestral players and choral singers) did not receive royalties when their performances were broadcast or played in public. Involved in complex rights negotiations over his six years on the board, King was one of two PAMRA directors to sign the society’s first reciprocal international agreement, that with the Dutch collection society SENA, opening the door to dozens of similar international agreements. By 2002 PAMRA had more than 15,000 members and was paying out millions of pounds in royalties to rank-and-file musicians.
A published author and editor of many scores, principally of baroque music, King wrote a monograph, ‘Henry Purcell - "A Greater Musical Genius England Never had"‘ (London: Thames & Hudson) published in 1995, coinciding with the 300th anniversary of the composer's death in 1695. In 2010 and 2011, two volumes of English church music edited by King were published by Oxford University Press, followed in 2012 and 2014 by editions of choral works by Emanuele d'Astorga and Henry Purcell. A further 90 editions of choral and instrumental music, predominantly from the baroque period but also including substantial choral works by Felix Mendelssohn and Charles Villiers Stanford, have been published by The King’s Consort.
In 2007, King was convicted of fourteen charges of historical indecent assault of five males, three under the age of sixteen, between 1983 and 1994; he was acquitted on another charge. King received a sentence of 3 years 9 months and was placed on the sex offenders' register. During the case, King pleaded "not guilty": when questioned if the boys were lying, he replied "absolutely". Following his sentence, King was not prohibited from working with children. In 2013, commenting after criticism for his taking part in a charity fundraising concert, King stated that he had 'accepted my sentence, and have paid my debt to society'.
Personal life
King is married, with two children.
Published works
- Henry Purcell - "A Greater Musical Genius England Never had". London: Thames & Hudson, 1995.
- English Church Music. Volume 1: Anthems and Motets. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
- English Church Music. Volume 2: Canticles and Responses. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
- Emanuele d’Astorga: Stabat Mater. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
- Henry Purcell: Te Deum and Jubilate Deo. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.
Discography
Founded in 1980 by Robert King, the period instrument orchestra and choir The King's Consort has made more than 100 recordings under King's direction, winning many international awards and selling more than 1,500,000 copies.
::data[format=table]
| Label | Catalogue No | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian | CDE84126 | Handel: Eternal Source of Light | |
| Meridian | CDE84129 | Vivaldi: Laudate Pueri | |
| Meridian | CDE84138 | Vivaldi: Salve Regina | |
| Hyperion | CDA66253 | Blow/Purcell: Countertenor duets | |
| Hyperion | CDA66267 | Bach/Telemann: Oboe Concertos | |
| Hyperion | CDA66294 | Pergolesi: Stabat Mater | |
| Hyperion | CDA66314 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 1 - Royal & Ceremonial Odes | |
| Hyperion | CDA66278 | Telemann: Musique de Table | |
| Hyperion | CDA66288 | Purcell: Mr Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures | |
| IMP | PCD894 | Great Baroque Arias | |
| Hyperion | CDA66315 | Handel: Music for Royal Occasions | |
| Hyperion | CDA66326 | Bach: Cantatas 54, 169 & 170 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66339 | Vivaldi: The Four Seasons | |
| Hyperion | CDA66349 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 2 - Hail, bright Cecilia! | |
| Hyperion | CDA66350 | Handel: Fireworks Music & Coronation Anthems | |
| Hyperion | CDA66380 | Bach: Violin Concertos | |
| Hyperion | CDA66361/2 | Handel: Acis & Galatea | |
| Hyperion | CDA66377 | Mozart: Epistle Sonatas | |
| Erato | 245 014-2 | De Lalande: Sacred Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA66398 | Schütz: The Christmas Story | |
| Hyperion | CDA66412 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 3 - Fly, bold rebellion | |
| Hyperion | CDA66440 | Handel: Italian Duets | |
| Hyperion | CDA66383 | Albinoni/Vivaldi: Oboe Concertos | |
| Hyperion | CDA66447 | Awake Sweet Love | |
| Hyperion | CDA66456 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 4 - Ye tuneful Muses | |
| Hyperion | CDA66461/2 | Handel: Joshua | |
| Hyperion | CDA66474 | Couperin: Leçons de Ténèbres | |
| Hyperion | CDA66476 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 5 - Welcome glorious morn | |
| Hyperion | CDA66483 | Handel: James Bowman sings Heroic Arias | |
| Hyperion | CDA66494 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 6 - Love's goddess sure | |
| Hyperion | CDA66585 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 1 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66587 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 7 - Yorkshire Feast Song | |
| Hyperion | CDA66598 | Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 8 - Come ye sons of Art | |
| Hyperion | CDA66609 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 2 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66623 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 3 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66641/2 | Handel: Judas Maccabaeus | |
| Hyperion | CDA66644 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 4 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66656 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 5 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66663 | Purcell: Complete Services & Anthems, Vol. 6 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66841/2 | Handel: Deborah | |
| United | 88002 | Music from the Courts of Europe: London | |
| Hyperion | CDA66751/3 | Handel: Ottone | |
| Hyperion | CDA66677 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 7 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66686 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 8 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66693 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 9 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66707 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 10 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66710 | Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 1 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66716 | Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 11 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66720 | Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 2 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66730 | Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 3 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66769 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 1 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66797 | Handel: James Bowman sings English Arias | |
| Hyperion | CDA66881/2 | Vivaldi: Complete Cello Sonatas | |
| Hyperion | CDA66961/2 | Handel: The Occasional Oratorio | |
| Hyperion | CDA66779 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 2 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66843 | Bach: Six Trio Sonatas | |
| Hyperion | CDA66875 | Scarlatti/Hasse: Salve Regina | |
| Hyperion | CDA67171/3 | Handel: Joseph & his Brethren | |
| Hyperion | CDA66789 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 3 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66967 | Handel/Telemann: Water Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA67201/2 | Bach: Mass in B minor | |
| Hyperion | CDA67241/2 | Handel: Alexander Balus | |
| Hyperion | CDA67281/2 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 4 - Juditha Triumphans | |
| Hyperion | CDA67048 | Lo Sposalizio | |
| Hyperion | CDA67059 | Kuhnau: Sacred Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA67073 | Vivaldi: Concerti con molti istromenti | |
| Accenture | CONS1001 | The Bright Seraphim | |
| Hyperion | CDA66799 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 5 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67108 | Boccherini, Astorga: Stabat Mater | |
| Hyperion | CDA67283/4 | Handel: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato | |
| Accenture | CONS1002 | The Grand Tour | |
| Hyperion | CDA67160 | Knüpfer: Sacred Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA66809 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 6 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66819 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 7 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67260 | Schelle: Sacred Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA67266 | Haydn, Hummel, Hertel Trumpet Concertos | |
| Hyperion | CDA67286 | The Coronation of King George, 1727 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67298 | Handel: The Choice of Hercules | |
| Hyperion | CDA67361/2 | Vivaldi: La Senna Festeggiante | |
| Hyperion | CDA66829 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 8 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66839 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 9 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67350 | Zelenka: Sacred Music | |
| Hyperion | CDA67428 | Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 1 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67438 | Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 2 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67463 | Handel: Ode for St Cecilia's Day | |
| Hyperion | CDA67487 | Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 3 | |
| Hyperion | CDA66849 | Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 10 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67510 | Haydn, Michael: Requiem | |
| Hyperion | CDA 67519 | Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 4 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67553 | Vivaldi: Cello Concertos | |
| Hyperion | CDA67560 | Mozart: Exsultate jubilate | |
| Hyperion | CDA67531/2 | Monteverdi: Vespers, 1610 | |
| Hyperion | CDA67570 | Rossini: Petite Messe solennelle | |
| Hyperion | CDA67627 | Handel: German Arias | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 101 | I was glad: Sacred Music of Stanford & Parry | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 102 | Couperin: Trois Leçons de Ténèbres | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 104 | Monteverdi: Heaven and Earth | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 105 | Handel: Your tuneful voice | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 106 | Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 110 | Purcell: Twelve Sonatas of Three Parts | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 111 | Handel-Mendelssohn: Israel in Ägypten | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 113 | A Voice from Heaven | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 117 | Abbandonata: Handel Italian cantatas | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 118 | Elegy: Purcell & Blow duets for countertenors | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 121 | Purcell: Royal Odes | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 122 | Purcell: Birthday Odes for Queen Mary | |
| Vivat | VIVAT 123 | Bach: Six Trio Sonatas | |
| :: |
Collections
::data[format=table]
| Label | Catalogue No | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperion | KING1 | The Music of The King's Consort | |
| Hyperion | KING2 | Essential Purcell | |
| Hyperion | KING3 | The James Bowman Collection | |
| Hyperion | KING4 | The King's Consort Baroque Collection | |
| Hyperion | KING5 | Essential Bach | |
| Hyperion | KING6 | Essential Handel | |
| Hyperion | KING7 | The King's Consort Collection | |
| :: |
References
References
- ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music'', Oxford University Press, 1996/
- "The King's Consort, direction Robert King". Satirino.
- "Robert King (organ)". Hyperion Records.
- "Robert King". Lucerne Festival.
- "Choir of the King's Consort [gb]".
- (24 January 2014). "I was Glad – Sacred Music of Stanford and Parry".
- "Gramophone - Gramophone Awards 2013 Shortlist".
- "The Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2020 Shortlist is revealed".
- "Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2021 shortlist is revealed!".
- "Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2022 shortlist is revealed!".
- "Our history - PPL".
- "Sena haalt meer uit muziek".
- "PPL's Peter Leathem on how performers have transformed the collection society {{!}} Analysis".
- "Association of United Recording Artists / Performing Artists' Media Rights Association Ltd / Phonographic Performance Ltd".
- "English Church Music, Volume 2: Canticles and Responses".
- "Emanuele d’Astorga: Stabat Mater".
- "Henry Purcell: Te Deum and Jubilate Deo".
- "The King’s Consort, sheet music".
- (4 June 2007). "Child sex abuse conductor jailed". BBC News.
- "Conductor Robert King Convicted of Abusing Teenage Boys". Playbillarts.com.
- (16 June 2007). "Facing the music". [[The Guardian]].
- Amy Bourke, [https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2007/06/06/conductor-jailed-for-abusing-boys-can-still-teach/ Conductor jailed for abusing boys can still teach], ''Pink News'', 6 June 2007 (accessed 2 February 2019)
- Widdecombe, Ann. (10 July 2013). "People are entitled to start again after serving a prison sentence".
- "I have served my time, says sex offender - Suffolk Free Press".
- (2025). "Who's Who".
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