Introduction

Biography

Faning is re­mem­bered as a teach­er, cho­ral con­duct­or, and com­pos­er.

His par­ents taught him the vio­lin and pi­ano­for­te, and he was per­form­ing in lo­cal con­certs by age five.

He en­tered the Roy­al Aca­de­my of Mu­sic (RAM) in 1870, stu­dy­ing un­der Stern­dale Ben­nett, Steg­gall, Ci­a­bat­ta, and Sul­li­van.

In 1874, he won the Men­dels­sohn Schol­ar­ship, and three years lat­er the Lu­cas me­dal for com­po­si­tion.

Faning be­gan teach­ing at the RAM in 1874, and his op­er­et­ta The Two Ma­jors was per­formed there in 1877.

He lat­er taught at the Na­tion­al Train­ing School and at Har­row School, from which he re­tired in 1901.

He al­so found time to con­duct the Lon­don Male Voice Club and the Ma­dri­gal So­cie­ty.

He re­ceived a MusB de­gree from Cam­bridge in 1894, and MusD in 1900.