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The English counter-tenor, vocal coach, choral director, orchestral conductor, composer and music educator, Peter Gritton, was born into a family for which music was an everyday norm. At one time there were six pianos in the family home, including a Broadwood pianola with countless piano rolls to choose from, an organ piano (a piano with organ pedals) and a Steinway grand that his grandfather had bought in Hamburg early in the 20th century! From the age of 8, he received his first formal musical education as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral under the guidance of Richard Seal (1972-1977). At Salisbury, he featured most notably as treble soloist on a vinyl LP recording of Mathias’s An Admonition to Rulers. While he was still a chorister, two of his compositions were performed in the Cathedral. He continued his education at Reigate Grammar School (RGS) as an academic and music scholar. This was the first music scholarship granted by RGS on its transformation into an independent school in 1977. During his school years (1977-1982), he went on to become principal French Horn of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He gained an Academic Exhibition to read Music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he also sang in the chapel choir as a Choral Scholar. He obtained his Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree in Music from University of Cambridge (1982-1985). He ran the University Music Club in his final year, after which he became a counter-tenor Lay Clerk at Christ Church, Oxford.
Peter Gritton has been based in London since 1987 and quickly found himself singing in a number of vocal ensembles, including The Sixteen (Director: Harry Christophers), Cambridge Singers (Director: John Rutter), I Fagiolini (Director: Robert Hollingworth), as well as close harmony group The Light Blues with whom he toured worldwide. He sings with Tenebrae (Director: Nigel Short) and is also in demand as workshop leader and choral adjudicator.
In 1993, alongside his lively freelance career, Peter Gritton joined the music staff at St Paul’s School in London (Assistant Director of Music: September 1993-Augus 2008; Director of Music: September 2008-August 2012), before moving to James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) in London, to serves as Director of Music (since September 2012). His responsibility includes: Leadership of music team, director of the music academic and practical programme, conductor of school orchestras and choirs, director of community orchestra and choral society, design team member for new music building.
Peter Gritton composes and arranges to private and public commission as well as writing for an array of internationally known publishers.. His music is published by Chester Music (Music Sales), Oxford University Press (OUP), Faber Music, Hal Leonard, BBC Learning and Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), Peter’s music is available through the Catalogue & Shop page of his website. |
