Richard Marlow

Richard Kenneth Marlow (born Banstead, Surrey on 26 July 1939) is an English choral conductor and organist. He was Organ Scholar and later Research Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge. He studied with Thurston Dart, writing a doctoral dissertation on the 17th-century virginalist, Giles Farnaby. After teaching at Southampton University he returned to Cambridge in 1968, succeeding Raymond Leppard as Fellow and Director of Music at Trinity and taking up a lectureship in the University Music Faculty.

The following year Richard Marlow founded the Cambridge University Chamber Choir, which won critical acclaim worldwide for its enterprising and stylish performances. He disbanded this group in 1989 to devote more time to the recently formed (1982) mixed choir of Trinity College, whose many broadcasts, recordings and foreign tours have established its reputation internationally.

In addition to his choral work and his teaching, Richard Marlow has been active as an editor and has contributed articles and reviews to various scholarly journals and books, including The New Grove Dictionary of Music and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. He has also conducted, lectured and given harpsichord and organ recitals in many European countries as well as in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan and the USA. As organ soloist and choir director, he records frequently, most recently Handel Organ Concerto No. 14 with the Academy of Ancient Music.

Richard Marlow retired from his post as Director of Music at Trinity College, Cambridge in September 2006 and was succeeded in the post by Stephen Layton. He remains, however, a Fellow of the College.