Harry Christophers invested with CBE

13 December 2012, 11:04 | Updated: 14 December 2012, 09:14

The conductor of The Sixteen was invested at Buckingham Palace this morning for services to music.

Harry Christophers, conductor of The Sixteen, was awarded a CBE in an investiture ceremony this morning at Buckhingham Palace for services to music. He is one of the six musicians honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2012, along with conductors Edward Gardner and Gareth Malone, and violinist Tasmin Little.

Harry founded The Sixteen, the Voices of Classic FM, in 1979, and has won numerous awards with the choir, including Gramophone Awards in 1992 and 2009, Classical Brit Award in 2005. Since 2008 he has been the Artistic Director of the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston.

Harry said: "This is a wonderful day for me and my family and I'm especially proud that this recognition comes at a time when The Sixteen is going from strength to strength and we have such a wonderful opportunity to work with young singers, alongside our concert and recording work."

Later this afternoon, members of The Sixteen's training programme, Genesis Sixteen, a choral programme designed for young choral singers embarking on a career after their student days, will be performing Christmas carols at Classic FM's headquarters on London's Leicester Square. The choir will be singing traditional Christmas music including Ding Dong Merrily on High, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, among others.