BBC composer and EastEnders cast member dies aged 73 as tributes pour in for ‘remarkable man’
Renowned BBC composer and conductor Robin White has died at the age of 73, it has been confirmed.
The legendary musician, who had a long and distinguished career with the BBC, passed away this month.
News of his death was announced on his website, where visitors are now greeted with the message: “Robin White died in March 2025. This site will stay up as a memorial to this remarkable man.”
White was celebrated for his extensive work with BBC orchestras and his appearances on television.
White trained at Imperial College and the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied conducting with Vernon Handley and orchestration with Bryan Kelly.
Throughout his varied musical career, he conducted numerous orchestras and ensembles across the country.
He was particularly known for his open-air, pop-classics concerts at National Trust properties throughout the south of England and the midlands.
His arranging work was regularly broadcast by BBC orchestras on Radio 2 light-music programmes and was also featured by the Australian Pops Orchestra.
In December 2002, White made an appearance in the BBC soap EastEnders in what was described as a “pivotal” episode, performing with his own choir, Alban Voices.
The chamber choir was formed by White and his late wife, Freda, originally for St. Albans Abbey.
The Alban Voices also featured on his most recent recording, American Choral Classics, which was released in June 2023 and showcased White’s arrangements of traditional songs.
White’s recording of Edwardian light music for Chandos in 1992, performed by his own Southern Festival Orchestra, has been played extensively on Classic FM.
This success led to an invitation from Silva Classics to record Noel Coward’s original ballet scores with the City of Prague Philharmonic.
His other recordings include “Music for a Royal Wedding” and “The Perfect Fool” for Classic Fox Records.
White’s conducting repertoire was diverse, spanning from Mozart and Beethoven to Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Wagner.
In January this year, White’s New Year’s Day concert with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at Westminster’s Smith Square Hall was hailed as a “triumph”.
Renowned conductor and arranger Robin White has passed away at 73. A student of Vernon Handley, White was celebrated for his light-music and outdoor concerts, particularly at National Trust sites. His recordings remain a staple on Classic FM. #RIP #MusicLegend
— Classical Crescendo (@SviluppiS71024) March 25, 2025
This Is London wrote: “The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra played not only superbly, but with a sort of infectious joy [with] a first-class team of soloists from Maida Vale Singers”.
They added: “It was a tremendous performance… and we all wished the music would go on longer.”His conducting was celebrated for its ability to bring joy to audiences across the country.
The Classical Crescendo X page paid tribute to the renowned composer, celebrating his recordings that regularly play on Classic FM.
They wrote: “Renowned conductor and arranger Robin White has passed away at 73. A student of Vernon Handley, White was celebrated for his light-music and outdoor concerts, particularly at National Trust sites. His recordings remain a staple on Classic FM. #RIP #MusicLegend.”
White’s death follows the recent passing of several BBC figures, including Radio 1 legend Andy Peebles, Bargain Hunt seller Stuart Withers, and Still Game actor Jimmy Martin.
