Conductor David Trendell, since 1992 Organist and Director of Music of the Chapel Choir of King’s College, London, has died. According to a statement issued by the college, he died in his sleep on Monday night/Tuesday morning, having conducted the chapel choir in a rehearsal only that evening. He was also a lecturer at the University, specialising in 16th century music. 

Under his leadership, the choir made a number of well-received recordings. Most recently, reviewed in July, was a disc of music by Desenclos, along with Poulenc and Villette, about which Richard Lawrence wrote: ‘David Trendell gets a first-rate performance from his choir, full of light and shade’(July 2014). This was released by Delphian, as was a disc the previous year of Romantic German repertoire entitled Deutsche Motette, jointly performed by King’s and the choir of Gonville and Caius, and the subject of a Gramophone Session Report in July 2013. 

Born in 1964, Trendell began his music career as a chorister at Norwich Cathedral, later becoming an alto choral scholar, before gaining an organ scholarship at Exeter College, Oxford (a chapel he would later record in). Other appointments included becoming Assistant Organist at Winchester College and then Organist of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford. As well as his post at King’s College, Trendell was also Director of Music at St Mary’s Bourne Street, London. 

David Trendell's funeral will be held in the chapel of King's College London, on Monday November 10, 12.45pm