White received his Bachelors of Music in 1560 from Trinity College in Cambridge. He served as a chorister under Thomas Preston, became the Master of the Choristers at Ely in 1562, Master of the Choristers at Chester Cathedral in 1567 and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey between 1569 and 1570. Most of the compositions by White that are of note were both vocal and instrumental works particularly beginning with his settings of the complete Psalms in Latin. This demonstrated his ability to handle extensive textures and materials. The music he composed for the Lamentations was described as sounding sadder than the story the poet had to tell. Fantasias for the viol, set by White, were among the first English examples of such works. His hymns had a direct influence on both Byrd and Baldwin and he uniquely arranged the responses and the verses in his "Libera me" polyphonically. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi