Roy Henderson (baritone)

Roy Galbraith Henderson CBE (4 July 1899 – 16 March 2000) was a leading English baritone in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He later became a teacher of singing, his most notable student being Kathleen Ferrier.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Henderson moved to Nottingham, England, at an early age when his Scottish father, a prominent Congregational minister, was appointed to a church there and later became Principal of Paton Congregational College in the city. He was educated at Nottingham High School, where he became captain of cricket. He sang in his father's church choir (his first solo was as First Malefactor in Stainer's The Crucifixion), and in school concerts, but was mainly active in sports. Henderson served in the First World War in the Artists Rifles. In the regimental concert party were other well-known baritones, including Charles James Mott, Percy Heming and Clay Thomas. Henderson was deeply impressed by Mott, who was later killed in the war.

Henderson began study at the Royal Academy of Music in 1920, on the advice of the bass Robert Radford. He studied hard under Thomas Meux (singing) and John Blackwood McEwen (composition). He sang in Messiah once, in 1923, and vowed never to do so again. He made his first broadcast for the BBC (the first of very many) in 1924. In 1925, while he was still studying, he had the wonderful opportunity to sing in Delius's A Mass of Life at the Queen's Hall for the Royal Philharmonic Society, and was able to prepare the work and sing it from memory with the greatest success, within three weeks. The performance, on 2 April, was with Miriam Licette, Astra Desmond and Walter Widdop, conducted by Paul von Klenau. He was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians' medal as most distinguished student of the year, and so his name as a professional singer was immediately made. He was married in 1926.

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