John Rutter studied music at Clare College, Cambridge and first came to notice as a composer and arranger of Christmas carols and other choral pieces during those early years; today his compositions, including such concert-length works as Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, The Gift of Life, and Visions are performed around the world. John edits the Oxford Choral Classics series, and, with Sir David Willcocks, co-edited four volumes of Carols for Choirs. In 1983 he formed his own choir The Cambridge Singers, with whom he has made numerous recordings on the Collegium Records label, and he appears regularly in several countries as a guest conductor and choral ambassador. John holds a Lambeth Doctorate in Music, and in 2007 was awarded a CBE for services to music. In September 2023, he received the Ivors Academy Fellowship, and in 2024 he was knighted in the King's Birthday Honours.

• Adeste fideles ; Angels, from the realms of glory ; Angelus ad Virginem ; As with gladness men of old (2 versions) ; Away in a manger ; The cherry tree carol ; Coventry carol ; Deck the hall ; Ding dong! merrily on high ; Donkey carol ; The first Nowell ; Gabriel to Mary came ; Gabriel's message ; God rest you merry, gentlemen (2 versions) ; Good King Wenceslas ; Hail! blessed Virgin Mary ; Hark! the herald angels sing (2 versions) ; He smiles within his cradle ; The holly and the ivy ; How far is it to Bethlehem? ; I saw three ships ; I sing of a maiden ; Il est ne le divin enfant ; In dulci jubilo (4-part version) ; In dulci jubilo (3-part version) ; The Infant King ; It came upon the midnight clear ; King Jesus hath a garden ; The Linden tree carol ; Lute-book lullaby ; A Merry Christmas ; Nativity Carol ; A New Year carol ; O come, all ye faithful ; O come, O come, Emmanuel ; O little town of Bethlehem ; Once in royal David's city (2 versions) ; Past three a clock ; Personent hodie ; Quelle est cette odeur agreable ; Quem pastores laudavere ; Rocking ; See amid the winter's snow ; Shepherd's Pipe Carol ; Star Carol ; Stille Nacht ; Sussex Carol ; There is no rose ; Tomorrow shall be my dancing day ; Unto us is born a son ; Up! good Christen folk, and listen ; A Virgin most pure ; While shepherds watched