John Whenham: key obituary facts
Is John Whenham dead? Yes. John Whenham died on September 16, 2026.
Cause of death: John Whenham's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was John Whenham known for?
He was an English musicologist.
More about John Whenham
Gender: male.
Occupation: musicologist, university teacher.
Education: University of Oxford, University of Nottingham.
Employer: University of Birmingham.
John Whenham, an English musicologist and academic specializing in early Italian Baroque music, died September 16, 2026.
He earned a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts at the University of Nottingham, followed by a doctorate from the University of Oxford. His research focused especially on Claudio Monteverdi, whose life and works he became a leading authority on.
Whenham’s books included *Duet and Dialogue in the Age of Monteverdi*, *Monteverdi, ‘Orfeo’* and *Monteverdi, Vespers (1610)*. He also co-edited *The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi* with Richard Wistreich. For five years, he served as co-editor of the journal *Music & Letters*. At the University of Birmingham, he led the music department from 2001 to 2011. His work there extended beyond teaching and research: in the 1980s he founded the Birmingham University Liturgical Choir, later known as the University Singers. After becoming head of department, he also played a significant part in planning, funding and building the facility that became the Bramall Music Building. His career combined scholarship on early Italian music with academic leadership and the development of musical life at Birmingham.