John Exton (composer)


John Albert Exton was a British composer of classical music.
John Exton was born in Wolverton, and started to play the violin at the age of 11. In 1950 he became leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He started to read music at the King's College in Cambridge. In 1956 he won the Mendelssohn Scholarship and studied with Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence for a year. After that he continued his studies in Cambridge with Robin Orr and Matyas Seiber. He became Doctor in Music in 1963 and in the same year the director of music at Bedales School.
In 1966 John Exton followed an appointment as a senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia in Perth. He taught composition there until his retirement. Notable students of John Exton include Carl Vine, Jennifer Fowler, Ross Bolleter or Stephen Benfall. He died in Perth, aged 76.

Compositions