1. Michael Fitzhardinge Berkeley, Baron Berkeley of Knighton, was born on 29 May 1948 and is an English composer, broadcaster on music and non-party political member of the House of Lords, speaking as an advocate for the arts, contemporary music and music education.
Michael Berkeley was educated at The Oratory School, in Woodcote, and Westminster Cathedral Choir School.
Michael Berkeley was a chorister at Westminster Cathedral, and he frequently sang in works composed or conducted by his godfather, Benjamin Britten.
Michael Berkeley studied composition, singing and piano at the Royal Academy of Music.
Michael Berkeley played in a rock band, Seeds of Discord.
Michael Berkeley has written scores for films including Captive, Goldeneye and Twenty-One.
Michael Berkeley arranged the choral sequences for Hello Earth, a song written by Kate Bush which appeared on her studio album Hounds of Love in 1985.
Michael Berkeley has written a considerable amount of chamber music for artists including Julian Bream, the Takas Quartet and Nicholas Daniel with the Carducci Quartet.
Michael Berkeley has written much choral music, including the specially commissioned Listen, listen O my child for the enthronement of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013 and the Magna Carta Te Deum, for the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta in 2015 in Lincoln Cathedral.
Michael Berkeley wrote This Endernight for the 2016 King's College Festival of nine Lessons and Carols and Super Flumina Babylonis for the St Cecilia Day Service in Westminster Cathedral in 2017.
In June 2024 Orchid Classics released Collaborations, a CD of Michael Berkeley's music featuring artists he had worked closely with and written for.
Michael Berkeley is known as a television and radio broadcaster on music.
Since 1995 Michael Berkeley has presented BBC Radio 3's Private Passions, in which celebrities are invited to choose and discuss several pieces of music.
Michael Berkeley was composer-in-association with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales from 2000 until 2009.
Michael Berkeley has served as a trustee of the Koestler Trust which puts music and the arts into prisons.
Michael Berkeley was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to music.
Michael Berkeley was awarded an honorary doctor of music degree by Aberdeen University in 2022.
Michael Berkeley is a Fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music and an honorary Doctor of Music from the University of East Anglia and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.
Michael Berkeley is President of the Presteigne Festival of Music and is a Vice-President of the Joyful Company of Singers.
In 2018 Michael Berkeley successfully instigated and steered through the House of Lords an Amendment to the Children Act 1989.
Michael Berkeley has consistently spoken in support of music and music education.
Michael Berkeley has a residence in London and a farm in Wales.