The College is sorry to announce the death of John Bertalot, former organ scholar and undergraduate who went on to have a storied musical career as a Director of Music, organist and Choirmaster in the UK and the US.

Director of Music Nick Danks said, “We were very saddened to receive the news yesterday that John Bertalot, organ scholar of Corpus 1955-58, had died. Through a long and distinguished musical career in the UK and the USA John retained a passionate enthusiasm and support for the music at Corpus, and several of his choral compositions and arrangements remain in our repertoire. Among several benefactions, John always donated a copy of his choral conducting book to every new Corpus organ scholar; recently providing us with sufficient copies to keep this tradition going for many years to come. A fuller tribute will be published this coming week. He was remembered in our prayers at Choral Evensong yesterday evening.

Here he is pictured at a 2003 reunion of Corpus organ scholars and choral exhibitioners, alongside former choral exhibitioner Brian Macdonald-Milne, another great supporter of the music here, who died last September. Wherever he was in the world, John would often proudly wear his Corpus scarf.”