Born: March 1, 1900 - Sawston, Cambridgeshire, England
Died: May 17, 1994 - Bungay, Suffolk, England

The English bass-baritone and pedagogue, Sir (Donald) Keith Falkner, studied at New College in Oxford, Ppurse School in Cambridge, and Royal College of Music in London. He also studied with with Harry Plunkett Greene in London, Theodore Lierhammer in Vienna, Ernst Grenzebach in Berlin, and Dossert in Paris, Alberto Garcia, and Hugh Allen. In 1917-1918 he was a pilot at the Royal Naval Ait Service (RNAS).

From 1923 to 1946 Keith Falkner was active as a professional singer, mainly as a concert singer. He often appeared in oratorios: J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and Händel's Alexander Feast among his recordings.

From 1940 to 1945 Keith Falkner was Squadron at the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). After World War II, he served as Music Officar at the British Council in Italy (1946-1950). Afterwords he served as visiting professor (1950-1951), associate professor (1951-1956), and professor (1956-1960) at the Cornell University. He was director of the Royal College of Music in London from 1960 to 1974. From 1981 to 1983 he was joint artistic director of the Kings Lion Festival. In 1974 he was knighted.

Publications: Voice (in Menuhin's series of guide books for young musicians).
Honours: Honorary Royal Academy of Music (RAM), FGSM, Fellow, Trinity College of Music, London; Hon D Mus, (Oxford); Humane Society Medal, for Life Saving at Sea; Vice-President, Royal College of Music; Vice-President, The Bach Choir.
Hobbies: golf, cricket, squash racquets, walking, reading.
Keith Falkner married Christabel Margaret Fullard in 1930, and had two daughters.

Source: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997); OPERAlmanc Mailing List (March 2003); International Who's Who in Music & International Directory (13^th Edition, 1992/93)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2004)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Lawrance Collingwood

Bass

Arias from BWV 205, BWV 244

Serge Koussevitzky

Bass

BWV 244

Links to other Sites

Bibliography

Julia Falkner: "Keith Falkner--'Ich habe genug': A Biography" (Thames, 1998). Buy this book at: Amazon.com

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