Wicks Allan

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Wicks Allan

Wicks, (Edward) Allan, English organist and choirmaster; b. Harden, Yorkshire, June 6, 1923. He studied organ with Thomas Armstrong at Christ Church, Oxford, and also was made a Fellow of the Royal Coll. of Organists. He was asst. organist at York Minster (1947-54). After serving as organist and choirmaster at Manchester Cathedral (1954-61), he distinguished himself in those capacities at Canterbury Cathedral (1961-88); he also toured as a recitalist in England, Europe, and the U.S. In 1974 he was awarded a D.Mus. by the Archbishop of Canterbury and in 1985 was given an honorary D.Mus. by the Univ. of Kent; in 1988 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His repertoire is exhaustive, ranging from early music to modern English compositions.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire