David Cripps passed away peacefully at home on the afternoon of June 22, 2024 with his wife, Melissa, at his side.

David was born November 4, 1945, in the city of Gloucester, England, UK.  He exhibited musical abilities from a young age beginning with his time as a choir boy at Christ Church, Gloucester.  He started playing the horn at the age of 14 when a Crypt School benefactor donated a horn to their music program.  David had been playing the violin but was more than excited to change instruments.  He did not have the privilege of private lessons and was self-taught from a book given him by his school and from listening to albums of Dennis Brain recordings.  He joined local brass bands and was eventually invited to join the Gloucester City youth orchestra followed by the Gloucester County youth orchestra and then the National Youth Orchestra of Britain where he played the Mozart 4th Horn Concerto at the Royal Festival Hall with Sir Malcolm Sargent.  He won an audition to attend the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 18.  His first professional position was with the BBC Welsh Orchestra as principal. He was then 3rd Horn with the London Symphony Orchestra followed by the Principal Horn position with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.  From 1974 to 1983, he was appointed principal horn in the London Symphony Orchestra, his unique sound can be heard on many LSO recordings from that time.  Subsequently, he held the principal horn positions with the New Zealand Symphony, the Halle Orchestra, the LSO Wind Ensemble, the LSO Brass Ensemble, the Gulf Winds, Rochester Symphony, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra.  His teaching career included the Guildhall School of Music, London, and The Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

From 1997 to 2003, David was teacher and resident conductor with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra, after which David took a sabbatical replacement position at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.  He wanted to stay in the United States and so took a position as Horn Professor and Conductor of Orchestras at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ.  After one year at NAU, he became the horn professor for 2 years at Florida State University.  He settled back in Flagstaff where he conducted the Verde Valley Sinfonietta for 5 years.  He was co-founder and artistic director of Orchestra Northern Arizona, a community orchestra in Flagstaff until his retirement in 2019.

During his musical career, he worked with many well-known conductors:  Claudio Abbado, Andre Previn, Simon Rattle, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, and many more.

David was music, and music was his first love, his constant companion, his greatest achievement.  He also enjoyed being a small plane pilot, travelling and spending time with family.

David and Melissa, moved to Tucson, AZ in 2022.  Shortly after the move, he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.  Chemotherapy treatments helped him to enjoy another year and half of music making and traveling in general good health.

He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Melissa Cripps; Former wife, Phillipa Cripps; daughters Sarah Cripps (Jerry), Sophie Cripps (Ian), Tess Tweeddale (Scott), Phoebe Cripps (Aaron), stepson Robert Collins; sisters Judy Hayward (Len), Joanna Cripps; brother Peter Cripps (Astrid); and 3 grandchildren. He also leaves behind many much-loved nieces and nephews along with his bonus Arizona family members. He was preceded in death by his father, Sydney and his mother, Kathleen.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, November 15, 2024 at 12 Noon at The Sanctuary at Crown Court Church, Russell St., Covent Garden, London. If here is a desire to attend, please RSVP to Melissacripps24@gmail.com