Harry Alexander Clarence BicketOBE (born 1961) is a Britishconductor,harpsichordist andorganist. He is particularly associated with thebaroque andclassical repertoire.

Bicket was educated atRadley College,Christ Church, Oxford, where he was an organ scholar, and theRoyal College of Music. BeforeOxford, he was an organ scholar atSt George's Chapel, Windsor. Afterwards, he was sub-organist atWestminster Abbey, during which time he performed at thewedding ofSarah Ferguson andPrince Andrew. He first performed on the harpsichord in 1983 atThe Proms as an emergency deputy, his first-ever public performance on harpsichord.^[1]

As a conductor, Bicket became known when he stood in as a replacement to conduct Peter Sellars' production ofHandel's operaTheodora withDawn Upshaw,Lorraine Hunt Lieberson andDavid Daniels, at theGlyndebourne Festival in 1996. In 2003, Bicket made hisCovent Garden debut conductingHandel'sOrlando with theOrchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE).^[2] In 2004, Bicket made his first appearance at theMetropolitan Opera in a production ofRodelinda withRenée Fleming in the title role.^[3] He returned to Handel and the Met in 2020, conducting a production new to that house ofAgrippina.^[4]

In October 2006, Bicket was named music director ofThe English Concert, and formally assumed the post in September 2007, his first orchestral directorship. He first worked with The English Concert as a harpsichordist in 1984. Bicket has conducted commercial recordings with The English Concert forHarmonia Mundi.^[5]

Bicket first conducted atSanta Fe Opera (SFO) in 2004, in a production ofAgrippina. He returned to SFO as conductor for subsequent productions ofPlatée (2007) andRadamisto (2008). In April 2013, SFO named Bicket its next chief conductor, effective 1 October 2013.^[6] Although the formal press release did not indicate a specific time length of Bicket's initial contract, SFO general directorCharles MacKay stated an informal duration of 4–5 years.^[7] In November 2016, Santa Fe Opera announced the extension of Bicket's contract as chief conductor through 30 September 2020.^[8] In February 2018, Santa Fe Opera announced the elevation of Bicket's title from chief conductor to music director of the company, effective 1 October 2018.^[9] In October 2018, Santa Fe Opera announced the extension of Bicket's contract with the company, as music director, through the 2023 season.^[10]

In addition to recording with The English Concert, Bicket has conducted commercial recordings with other ensembles for various labels, including Decca,^[11][12] Avie,^[13] and EMI.^[14]

He was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the2022 Birthday Honours for services to music.^[15]

Bicket is married to the environmental scholar Audrey de Nazelle, ofImperial College London. The family resides in London.^[6]

• Askonas Holt agency biography of Harry BicketArchived 12 January 2010 at theWayback Machine
• Stephen Clarke, 'Becoming Conductors',Lusimus: The Radley Newsletter Issue 8 (January 2004)

• British harpsichordists
• English choral conductors
• English classical organists
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• 1961 births
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• 21st-century British conductors (music)
• 21st-century English musicians
• 20th-century British male musicians
• 21st-century British male musicians
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• British male classical organists

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