See also: 1765 in music, other events of 1766, 1767 in music, list of years in music.

Events

• Joseph Haydn becomes Kapellmeister to the Esterházys. The orchestra is increased to 22 players.
• Niccola Piccinni is invited to Paris by Queen Marie Antoinette.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composes the first act of an oratorio, Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots, to be completed by Michael Haydn and Anton Cajetan Adlgasser .

Popular music

• None Listed

Opera

• La Canterina, with music by Domenico Scarlatti and libretto by Girolamo Gigli

Classical music

• Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach - Pieces (40) for Keyboard, Wq 117: no 2, Solfeggio in C minor, H 220
• Capel Bond - Six Concertos in Seven Parts
• Joseph Haydn - Great Mass in E flat
• Michael Haydn - Symphony in B flat major
• Niccolò Jommelli - Missa Solemne

Births

• January 10 - Louis Massonneau , composer
• February 24 - Samuel Wesley, organist and composer
• March 28 - Joseph Weigl, composer and conductor
• June 19 - Edmund Weber , composer
• July 18 - Friedrich Fleischmann , composer
• July 21 - Carolina Nairne , Scottish songwriter
• August 1 - Ignaz Anton Franz Xavier Ladurner , pianist and composer
• August 22 - Joseph-Denis Doche , composer
• October 9 - Bedrich Divis Weber , composer
• November 16 - Rudolphe Kreutzer, violinist and composer
• November 20 - John Wall Calcott , composer

Deaths

• February 26 - August Bernhard Valentin Herbing , composer
• March 3 - Gregor Joseph Werner , composer and leader of Prince Paul Esterhazy 's orchestra
• March 25 - Johannes Ritschel , composer
• October 7 - Andre Cheron , composer
• unknown date - Wilhelm van Wassenaer , composer