Death of Composer Joseph Horovitz

We are sorry to hear of the death of Old Member and Honorary Fellow, the composer Joseph Horovitz, who passed away on 9th February at the age of 95. 

Joseph studied Music and Modern Languages at New College in 1943, his family having emigrated to England from Austria in 1938; he was made an Honorary Fellow of the College in 2019. His many and varied compositions include concertos, ballets, over 70 television scores, and the popular children’s cantata, Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo. The College marked his 95th birthday last year with a concert of his music by the Solem Quartet, and a birthday commission from the College by Luke Lewis titled Five Portraits.

His interview in Singing a Song in a Foreign Land can be found on YouTube. 

It captures someone who took music seriously but did so with a total lack of pomposity, and with a broad panoply of cultural references which informed both his compositions and his outlook.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to Anna, his family and friends.