Boris Ord

Who was Boris Ord?

Boris Ord was organist and choirmaster of King's College, Cambridge between 1929 and 1957, save during World War II when he served in the Royal Air Force; Harold Darke deputised during that period. He was, like his successor Sir David Willcocks, educated at Clifton College.

He was born at Clifton, Bristol. His setting of Adam lay ybounden, his only published piece of music, was once a fixture in the order of service of the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's. It now occasionally alternates with the settings by Peter Warlock and Philip Ledger. A distinguished choir master, he was described by Willcocks as the man who taught him everything he knows about training a choir. Boris Ord died at Cambridge in 1961.