Peter Aston

{{Short description|English composer, academic and conductor (1938–2013)}} {{for|the Australian teenager murdered in 1982|Murder of Peter Aston}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use British English|date=August 2013}} '''Peter Aston''' (5 October 1938 – 13 September 2013)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10319040/Peter-Aston.html |title=Peter Aston |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=18 September 2013 |accessdate=2013-09-19}}</ref> was an English composer, academic and conductor best known for his choral works.<ref name=UEA>[http://www.uea.ac.uk/mus/associatetutors/peteraston Profile], University of East Anglia</ref> Born in Birmingham, he studied at Birmingham School of Music and the University of York. In 1964, he became a lecturer in music in the University of York and in 1974 he was appointed professor of music in the University of East Anglia, where he subsequently became emeritus professor of composition.<ref name=UEA/><ref>[http://www.york.ac.uk/music/news-and-events/news/professorjohnpaynter/ york.ac.uk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322235402/http://www.york.ac.uk/music/news-and-events/news/professorjohnpaynter/ |date=22 March 2011 }}</ref>

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.<ref name=novello>[http://www.chesternovello.com/default.aspx?TabId=2431&State_2905=2&composerId_2905=48 Chester Novello profile]</ref> He is probably best known for his Communion and Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis settings in F.

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.<ref name=UEA/> He was also involved with the Sacramento Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra.<ref name=novello/> He was an editor of Baroque music and founded the Tudor Consort and the English Baroque Ensembles.<ref name=UEA/>

Aston and John Paynter co-authored the book ''Sound and Silence'', published in 1970.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Spencer|first=Piers|date=2010|title=John Paynter, 1931–2010: an appreciation|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-music-education/article/abs/john-paynter-19312010-an-appreciation/4CF2A806501F848D945F2E55FDEE8E77|journal=British Journal of Music Education|language=en|volume=27|issue=3|pages=221–223|doi=10.1017/S0265051710000306|issn=0265-0517|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aston, Peter}} Category:1938 births Category:2013 deaths Category:English composers Category:Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Academics of the University of East Anglia Category:Alumni of the University of York Category:Composers of the University of York Category:Alumni of the Birmingham School of Music