Composer. He was born into an aristocratic family of French and Scottish origin. His father, Captain Hastings George FitzHardinge Berkeley, was the eldest son, but since he was born before his parents were able to marry he was legally unable to inherit the title and estates. Berkeley was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, in Norfolk, then at Merton College, Oxford. In 1925 he provided music for Evelyn Waugh's Oxford film "The Scarlet Woman". After meeting Ravel he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger from 1927 to 1932, becoming friendly with Francis Poulenc, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger and Alberts Roussel. During the Second World War, Berkeley worked at the BBC in London as an orchestral programme builder and it was here that he met his wife, Elizabeth Freda Bernstein. They were married in 1946 and their extremely happy domestic life became the ideal background for Berkeley's creative work. The eldest of their three sons is the composer and broadcaster, Michael, Lord Berkeley of Knighton. Elected President of the Performing Right Society, Lennox Berkeley was awarded the CBE in 1957 and knighted in 1974. Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1946 to 1968. Honours and awards include Composers' Guild Composer of the Year in 1973 and the Papal Knighthood of St Gregory in the same year. Appointed Hon. Fellow of Merton College in 1974, Hon Professor, University of Keele and Hon Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music in 1975. Late in life he struggled against senile dementia and completed nothing after 1983.
Composer. He was born into an aristocratic family of French and Scottish origin. His father, Captain Hastings George FitzHardinge Berkeley, was the eldest son, but since he was born before his parents were able to marry he was legally unable to inherit the title and estates. Berkeley was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, in Norfolk, then at Merton College, Oxford. In 1925 he provided music for Evelyn Waugh's Oxford film "The Scarlet Woman". After meeting Ravel he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger from 1927 to 1932, becoming friendly with Francis Poulenc, Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger and Alberts Roussel. During the Second World War, Berkeley worked at the BBC in London as an orchestral programme builder and it was here that he met his wife, Elizabeth Freda Bernstein. They were married in 1946 and their extremely happy domestic life became the ideal background for Berkeley's creative work. The eldest of their three sons is the composer and broadcaster, Michael, Lord Berkeley of Knighton. Elected President of the Performing Right Society, Lennox Berkeley was awarded the CBE in 1957 and knighted in 1974. Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1946 to 1968. Honours and awards include Composers' Guild Composer of the Year in 1973 and the Papal Knighthood of St Gregory in the same year. Appointed Hon. Fellow of Merton College in 1974, Hon Professor, University of Keele and Hon Fellowship of the Royal Northern College of Music in 1975. Late in life he struggled against senile dementia and completed nothing after 1983.
Bio by: julia&keld
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