Stephen Layton

'''Stephen David Layton''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 23 December 1966) is an English conductor.

He was raised in Derby, where his father was a church organist. He was a chorister at Winchester Cathedral, and subsequently won scholarships to Eton College and then King's College, Cambridge as an organ scholar under Stephen Cleobury.<ref name="Wroe">{{cite news | author=Nicholas Wroe | title=The polyphonic spree | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/mar/31/classicalmusicandopera | work=The Guardian | date=31 March 2006 | accessdate=18 April 2008}}</ref>

While studying at Cambridge, Layton founded the mixed-voice choir Polyphony in 1986.<ref>{{cite news | author=Porter Anderson | title=Choral Grammy: Singing Layton's praises | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/11/grammy.cloudburst/index.html | publisher=CNN | date=11 February 2007 | accessdate=18 April 2008}}</ref> He was appointed the musical director of the Holst Singers in 1993, replacing Hilary Davan Wetton, who had founded the group in 1978. Layton has been assistant organist at Southwark Cathedral, and musical director of Wokingham Choral Society. From 1997, he was organist and subsequently director of music at the Temple Church. From 1999 to 2004, he was chief conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Choir. From 2000 to 2012 he was chief guest conductor of the Danish National Vocal Ensemble. From 2006 to 2023, he was director of music at Trinity College, Cambridge.<ref name="Wroe"/><ref name="BBCMM2023">{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=Steve |title=Stephen Layton announces departure from Trinity College Cambridge |url=https://www.classical-music.com/news/stephen-layton-announces-departure-from-trinity-college-cambridge/ |website=BBC Music Magazine |date=10 March 2023 |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref> In November 2009, the City of London Sinfonia announced the appointment of Layton as its second artistic director, effective with the 2010–2011 season, with the title of principal conductor.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.cityoflondonsinfonia.co.uk/index.php?page=430 | title=New Directions as CLS appoints new Artistic Director: City of London Sinfonia appoints Stephen Layton as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. Michael Collins becomes Principal Conductor. | publisher=City of London Sinfonia | date=19 November 2009 | accessdate=17 April 2010}}</ref>

Layton has premiered new works and recordings by a number of composers, including Arvo Pärt, Thomas Adès, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and James MacMillan. His realisation of John Tavener's ''The Veil of the Temple'' was premiered in 2003 at the Temple Church London. It was subsequently performed in 2004 at the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms, and in the Avery Fisher Hall, New York, as part of the Lincoln Center Festival.<ref name="BBCMM2023"/>

Stephen Layton's discography on Hyperion<ref>{{cite web|last=Hyperion Records|title=Polyphony|url=http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A88}}</ref> ranges from Handel and Bach with original instruments to Arvo Pärt, Paweł Łukaszewski, Lauridsen, Whitacre and Ēriks Ešenvalds. Recordings with Polyphony include Gabriel Jackson,<ref>{{cite news | author=Stephen Pritchard | title=Classical CD releases | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/07/heinz-hollinger-purcell-faceless-angel | work=The Guardian | date=7 June 2009 | accessdate=17 April 2010}}</ref> Paweł Łukaszewski,<ref>{{cite news | author=Stephen Pritchard | title=Classical CD releases | url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/apr/05/recital-ravinia-bach-sonatas-partitas | work=The Guardian | date=5 April 2009 | accessdate=17 April 2010}}</ref> Francis Poulenc,<ref>{{cite news | author=Andrew Clements | title=Poulenc: Gloria; Motets, Gritton/ Polyphony/ Britten Sinfonia/ Layton | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/mar/21/classicalmusicandopera.shopping3 | work=The Guardian | date=21 March 2008 | accessdate=17 April 2010}}</ref> John Tavener,<ref>{{cite news | author=Edward Greenfield | title=Tavener: Schuon Hymnen; The Second Coming; Shunya; Butterfly Dreams; Birthday Sleep etc: Polyphony/ Layton | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/10/classicalmusicandopera.shopping | work=The Guardian | date=10 September 2004 | accessdate=17 April 2010}}</ref> and Ẽriks Ešenvalds.<ref>{{cite web|last=Esenvalds|first=Eriks|title=Passion & Resurrection & other choral works|url=http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67796|publisher=Hyperion Records}}</ref> With the Trinity College Choir, a notable recording is of work by the Finnish composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, including the specially written Trinity Service (2019).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moody |first1=Ivan |title=Mäntyjärvi Choral Music |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/m-ntyj-rvi-choral-music |website=Gramophone |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref>

He has received two Gramophone Awards in the UK and the Diapason d'Or in France, the Echo Deutscher Musikpreis in Germany, the Compact Award in Spain, and four Grammy nominations in the USA.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/german-echo-classical-award-winners-announced-to-be-honored-october-1084751/ |title=German Echo Classical Award Winners Announced, To Be Honored October 14 |first=Wolfgang |last=Spahr |magazine=Billboard |date=2012-07-10 |access-date=2024-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/stephen-layton/16986 |title=Stephen Layton |publisher=Grammy Awards |access-date=2024-06-14}}</ref>

Layton was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to classical music.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63135|supp=y|page=B19|date=10 October 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|stephenlayton.com}} * [http://www.polyphony.co.uk/ Official website] of Polyphony * [http://www.holstsingers.com/index.php Official website] of the Holst Singers * [http://www.trinitycollegechoir.com/ Official website] of the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge * [http://www.wokingham-choral-society.org.uk/about.html Wokingham Choral Society history page] * [http://www.nederlandskamerkoor.nl/en/ Official website] of the Netherlands Chamber Choir

{{s-start}} {{s-culture}} {{succession box | title = Musical Director, Holst Singers | before = Hilary Davan Wetton | years = 1993–present | after = incumbent }} {{succession box | title = Director of Music, Temple Church | before = Dr John Birch | years = 1997–2006 | after = James Vivian }} {{succession box | title = Director of Music, Trinity College, Cambridge | before = Richard Marlow | years = 2006–present | after = incumbent }} {{succession box | title = Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, City of London Sinfonia | before = Richard Hickox | years = 2010–2016 | after = (post vacant) }} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Layton, Stephen}} Category:1966 births Category:APRA Award winners Category:English choral conductors Category:English male conductors (music) Category:Living people Category:People educated at Eton College Category:21st-century English conductors (music) Category:21st-century English male musicians Category:Organ Scholars of King's College, Cambridge Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire