The 200 strong Wandsworth School Boys' Choir was created and developed by Russell Burgess, Director of Music at the School from 1954 until his death at the age of 48 in 1979. The choir performed at a number of major music festivals, including the Proms and the Aldeburgh Festival, and undertook recordings alongside professional orchestras, including the London Symphony, New Philharmonia, London Philharmonic and the Dutch Concertgebouw. Burgess and the choir had a close association with the composer Benjamin Britten and performed several of his works. In 1972 the choir received the award for the Best Classical Choral Performance at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards,[ while Russell Burgess was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1975 New Year Honours.