Peter Aston

Who was Peter Aston?

Peter Aston was an English composer, academic and conductor perhaps best known for his choral works. Born in Birmingham, he studied at Birmingham School of Music and the University of York. He became a lecturer in music at the University of York in 1964, and in 1974 he was appointed professor of music at the University of East Anglia, where he became Emeritus Professor of composition.

Although best known for his liturgical choral works, his output included chamber works for voices and instruments, choral and orchestral works and an opera for children. He is probably best known for his Communion and Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in F.

While in Norwich, he founded the Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music and he was a Lay Canon of Norwich Cathedral. For fourteen years he was the conductor of the Aldeburgh Festival Singers. He was also involved with the Sacramento Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra. He was an editor of Baroque music and founded the Tudor Consort and the English Baroque Ensembles.