Professor and musicologist John Whenham passed away on Aug. 16.

Whenham earned both a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts from the University of Nottingham, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford. He was a leading expert on the life and works of Claudio Monteverdi, as well as Italian music of the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

From 2001-11, Whenham served as head of the Department of Music at Birmingham University, and retired after 41 years. Alongside research and lecturing at Birmingham University, Whenham founded the Birmingham University Liturgical Choir (now the University Singers) and led the departmental in creating the Bramall Music Building.

Whenham is cited in countless publications on music from the 16th and 17th centuries. He authored several books including “Duet and Dialogue in the Age of Monteverdi,” “The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi,” and “Monteverdi, ‘Orfeo’” which is part of the Cambridge Opera Handbooks Series. For five years he was co-editor of the journal “Music & Letters.” Whenham also took part in practical research on Liturgical reconstructions.

Whenham was married to to Jenny Whenham in 1968. They are survived by their two sons and their families.