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List of musicians at English cathedrals

The following list contains information about organists at Church of England cathedrals in England.

The cathedrals of England have a long history of liturgical music, often played on or accompanied by the organ. The role of the cathedral organist is a salaried appointment, the organist often also serving as choirmaster. There is often also an assistant organist and an organ scholar.

Birmingham, St Philip's Cathedral

Organists at St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham have included composers Charles John Blood Meacham, Richard Yates Mander and Rupert Jeffcoat.

Directors of Music

Assistant Organists

Blackburn Cathedral

Notable organists at Blackburn Cathedral have included Charles Hylton Stewart, John Bertalot and Gordon Stewart.

Directors of Music

Organist in Residence

2022- John Hosking (formerly Director of Music, Holy Trinity, Southport)

Assistant Directors of Music

Bradford Cathedral

Organists at Bradford Cathedral have included the following.

Organist and Master of the Choristers

Organist & Director of Music

Cathedral Organist

Sub-Organist & Assistant Director of Music

Associate Organist

Bristol Cathedral

Organists at Bristol Cathedral have included the writer and composer Percy Buck and the conductor Malcolm Archer.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Canterbury Cathedral

Organists and Assistant Organists at Canterbury Cathedral have included composers Clement Charlton Palmer, Gerald Hocken Knight and Philip Moore and musical directors Sidney Campbell, Allan Wicks and Stephen Darlington.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Second Assistant Organists

Carlisle Cathedral

Notable organists at Carlisle Cathedral have included the composer, astronomer and mathematician Thomas Greatorex and founder of the Royal School of Church Music, Sir Sydney Nicholson.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Chelmsford Cathedral

Notable organists at Chelmsford Cathedral have included Stanley Vann and Philip Ledger.

Masters of the Music

Assistant Organists

Assistant Directors of Music

Chester Cathedral

Notable organists of Chester Cathedral include the composers Robert White and John Sanders and the recording artist Roger Fisher.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Chichester Cathedral

Notable organists at Chichester Cathedral have included composer Thomas Weelkes and conductors John Birch and Nicholas Cleobury.

Until 1801, there were two distinct posts, 'Organist' and 'Master of the Choristers', which were merged upon the appointment of James Target. Since the mid-nineteenth century, there has existed the role of Assistant Organist. Currently, the 'Organist and Master of the Choristers' is responsible for the direction of the choir and cathedral liturgy, and the 'Assistant Organist' accompanies the choir.

The sacking of Chichester Cathedral in December 1642 caused all cathedral services to be suspended. They were not resumed until the restoration of the monarchy in 1661. The choir was re-formed in the same year, but the appointment of a new organist did not occur until 1668.

Organists and Masters of the Choristers

Organist (1545–1801)

Master of the Choristers (1550s – 1801)

Organist and Master of the Choristers (1801 – present)

Assistant Organists

Coventry Cathedral

This list details only those who have held positions in the new Coventry Cathedral.

Directors of Music

Assistant Organists

Derby Cathedral

Notable organists at Derby Cathedral have included Arthur Claypole and Wallace Ross.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Durham Cathedral

Notable organists at Durham Cathedral have included the composers Thomas Ebdon and Richard Lloyd, organists Philip Armes, John Dykes Bower who went on to St Paul's Cathedral, London, Conrad William Eden and James Lancelot, and choral conductor David Hill.

Organists

Sub-Organists

Assistant Organists

Ely Cathedral

Organists of Ely Cathedral have included the composers Basil Harwood and Arthur Wills.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Directors of the Girl Choristers

Assistant Organists of the Girls' Choir/Graduate Organ Scholars

Exeter Cathedral

Notable organists at Exeter Cathedral include composer and hymn writer Samuel Sebastian Wesley, educator Sir Ernest Bullock and conductor Sir Thomas Armstrong.

Organists / Directors of Music

Assistant Organists (Organist from 1999)

Assistant Directors of Music

Assistant Organists

Gloucester Cathedral

Notable among the organists of Gloucester Cathedral are Samuel Sebastian Wesley (his final cathedral appointment) and composers and choral conductors of the Three Choirs Festival, Sir Arthur Herbert Brewer, Herbert Sumsion and John Sanders.

Organists

The known organists of the cathedral are listed below. In modern times, the most senior post has become known as Director of Music; only these names are recorded here.

Assistant Organists

Guildford Cathedral

Organists at Guildford Cathedral have included choral director Barry Rose and the composer Philip Moore.

Organists

Sub-Organists

Hereford Cathedral

Notable organists of Hereford Cathedral include the 16th-century composers John Bull and John Farrant, briefly, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (his first cathedral appointment), the conductor and advocate of British composers Meredith Davies and the editor of Allegri's Miserere, Ivor Atkins.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Leicester Cathedral

Notable organists at Leicester Cathedral have included Gordon Slater and Jonathan Gregory.

Organists and Directors of Music

Assistant Organists and Assistant Directors of Music

Lichfield Cathedral

Notable organists of Lichfield Cathedral include the 17th-century composer Michael East, and the musical educator and choral conductor Sir William Henry Harris who conducted at the coronations of both Elizabeth II and George VI

Organists

Directors of Music

Assistant Organists

Lincoln Cathedral

Notable organists of Lincoln Cathedral have included the Renaissance composers William Byrd and John Reading and the biographer of Mendelssohn, William Thomas Freemantle.

Organists

From 2003 the post was divided: Colin Walsh became Organist Laureate and Aric Prentice was appointed Director of Music.

Director of Music

2003 Aric Prentice

Assistant Organists

Articled pupils fulfilled the role of assistant organist until 1893 when the Chapter formalised the position of assistant organist.

Assistant Directors of Music

Liverpool Cathedral

Notable organists at Liverpool Cathedral have included Edgar Robinson and Ian Tracey.

Directors of Music of Liverpool Cathedral

Organists of Liverpool Cathedral

London, St Paul's Cathedral

The many distinguished musicians who have been organists, choir masters and choristers at St Paul's Cathedral include the composers John Redford, Thomas Morley, John Blow, Jeremiah Clarke and John Stainer, while well known performers have included Alfred Deller, John Shirley-Quirk, Anthony Way and the conductors Charles Groves and Paul Hillier and the poet Walter de la Mare.

Organists and Directors of Music

Sub-Organists and Assistant Organists

Assistant Sub-Organists and Sub-Organists

Almoners and Masters of the Choristers

The title of Almoner was abolished in 1872, while the post of Master of the Choristers was held by a succession of Vicars Choral:

1846–1858 William Bayley
1858?–1867 Henry Buckland
1867–1874 Frederick Walker (resigned upon establishment of St Paul's Cathedral School on the present basis)
1874–1876 George Clement Martin (subsequently Sub-Organist & then Organist)

The training of the choristers was then entrusted to the Organist and his deputies until –

1977–1984 Barry Rose OBE 1977–1984 (Master of the Choir)

In 1990 the post was re-united with that of Organist under John Scott

Some notable Choristers and Vicars Choral

Manchester Cathedral

Notable organists at Manchester Cathedral have included Frederick Bridge and Sydney Nicholson.

Organists

Assistant organists

Newcastle Cathedral

Notable organists at Newcastle Cathedral have included Charles Avison and Colin Ross.

Organists

Assistant organists

1928–1933 Thomas Christy (afterwards organist of Hexham Abbey)
1936 Clifford Harker (afterwards organist at Bristol Cathedral)
1959–1960 Michael Bryan Hesford (afterwards organist at Brecon Cathedral)
1960–1980 Graeme East (afterwards Organist St Chad's Gateshead then Warnham Parish Church. d.2010)
1980–1984 Keith Downie (Lay Clerk and sub-Assistant 1972–1980 & 1984–1988): now St Helen's Gateshead
1984–2009 Michael Dutton (afterwards Director of Music at Dame Allan's Schools)

Director of the Girls Choir and Sub-Organist

2008-2009 George Richford, Founder Director of the Girls Choir
2009-2010 Austin Gunn (acting), now professor in vocal studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance
2010–2012 David Stevens (later Organist and Master of the Choristers at Belfast Cathedral, and Sub-Assistant Organist at Wells Cathedral)

Assistant Director of Music

2012–2015 James Norrey (became Assistant Sub-Organist at Rochester Cathedral)
2015 Kris Thomsett

Organ Scholar

2023 James Watson

Norwich Cathedral

Notable organists of Norwich Cathedral have included Zechariah Buck and Brian Runnett, and composers Thomas Morley, Heathcote Dicken Statham, Alfred R. Gaul and Arthur Henry Mann.

Organists and Masters of the Music

Assistant Organists

Oxford, Christ Church

First among the notable organists of Christ Church, Oxford is the Renaissance composer John Taverner. Other significant composers and conductors are Basil Harwood, Sir William Henry Harris, Sir Thomas Armstrong, Sydney Watson, Francis Grier, Simon Preston and Nicholas Cleobury.

Organists

Sub-Organists

Assistant Organist (1753–1990)

Sub-Organist (1990–present)

Precentors

1938–1945 Wilfrid Oldaker

Peel Cathedral (Isle of Man)

Organists at Peel Cathedral have included the following.

Organists and Choirmasters

Between 1991 and 1994 the job was combined with the Head of Music position at King Williams College.

Organists and Directors of Music

Associate Organist

Peterborough Cathedral

Notable organists of Peterborough Cathedral have included Stanley Vann, Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir Thomas Armstrong.

Masters of the Music

[1]

Assistant Masters of the Music

Plymouth Cathedral

Organists at Plymouth Cathedral have included the following.

Organists & Directors of Music

1990 Neville Allen
1996 Robert Osmond (formerly Director of Music at Sacred Heart and S Thérèse, Paignton)
1998 Kevin Holmes (formerly Director of Music at the Birmingham Oratory)
2001 Christopher Fletcher (formerly Director of Music at Totnes Parish Church)
2020 Robert Osmond (formerly Director of Music at this Cathedral – returning for a second term)

Assistant Organists

1996–1998 Brian Apperson (formerly Director of Music at St Augustine's, Kilburn, London NW6)

Organists

1995–1997 Timothy J Lewis (formerly an Anglican Priest and now a Catholic Priest & Canon Precentor of this Cathedral)
1950s Webster Mansfield (formerly Organist at Holy Cross Plymouth)

Portsmouth Cathedral

Notable organists at Portsmouth Cathedral have included Adrian Lucas and David Price.

Organists

Sub-Organists

Ripon Cathedral

Notable organists of Ripon Cathedral have included composers Charles Harry Moody and Ronald Edward Perrin.

Organists

Assistant Organists/Assistant Directors of Music

Rochester Cathedral

Among the composers, conductors and concert performers who have been organists at Rochester Cathedral are Bertram Luard-Selby, Harold Aubie Bennett, Percy Whitlock and William Whitehead.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Cathedral Organists

Assistant Sub-Organists

St Albans Cathedral

The posts of organist and master of the music at St Albans Cathedral have been held by a number of well-known musicians, including Peter Hurford, Stephen Darlington and Barry Rose. Andrew Lucas is the current Master of the Music. Since 1963 the cathedral has been home to the St Albans International Organ Festival, winners of which include Dame Gillian Weir, Thomas Trotter and Naji Hakim.

Organists

Assistant Organists

St Edmundsbury Cathedral

This list of organists of St Edmundsbury Cathedral also includes organists of the parish church of St James before it was elevated to Cathedral status in 1914 with the creation of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.

Organists and Directors of Music

Assistant Organists and Assistant Directors of Music

Salisbury Cathedral

Among the notable organists of Salisbury Cathedral have been a number of composers and well-known performers including Bertram Luard-Selby, Charles Frederick South, Sir Walter Galpin Alcock, Sir David Valentine Willcocks, Douglas Guest, Christopher Hugh Dearnley, Richard Godfrey Seal and the BBC presenter Simon Lole.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Sheffield Cathedral

Notable organists at Sheffield Cathedral have included Edwin Lemare and Reginald Tustin Baker.

Organists and Directors of Music

Assistant Directors of Music

Assistant Master of the Music

Sub Organists

Southwark Cathedral

Among the organists of Southwark Cathedral are Edgar Tom Cook, known for his lunchtime organ broadcasts on the BBC, and the organ designer and noted teacher Ralph Downes.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Southwell Minster

At Southwell Minster, the term Rector Chori is used rather than Director of Music, or Master of the Choristers. It literally means Ruler of the Choir, and is an historic title.

Rectores Chori

Organists

Truro Cathedral

The Diocese of Truro was established in 1876 and Truro Cathedral was consecrated in 1887. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin occupied the site before the cathedral was built, and had an organ: its organists included Charles William Hempel and his son Charles Frederick Hempel.

Organists and Masters of the Choristers

Assistant Organists

Wakefield Cathedral

Organist of Wakefield Cathedral have included the following.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Wells Cathedral

The first record of an organ at Wells Cathedral dates from 1310, with a smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, being installed in 1415. In 1620 a new organ, built by Thomas Dallam, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662, which was enlarged in 1786, and again rebuilt in 1855, a substantial early work of 'Father' Henry Willis. In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison with the best parts of the old organ retained (approximately one-third of the stops being by Willis), and this has been maintained by the same company since.

Organists

Assistant Organists

Sub-Assistant Organists

Winchester Cathedral

The earliest known organist of Winchester Cathedral is John Dyer in 1402. Later organists include Christopher Gibbons whose patronage aided the revival of church music after the Interregnum, John Reading, Daniel Roseingrave, James Kent, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, the composer of sacred music, who was also responsible for the acquisition of the Cathedral organ, Martin Neary, who arranged the music for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and choral director David Hill.

Organists

Organists were formerly titled "Organist and Master of the Choristers" then, briefly, "Organist and Master of the Music" and now "Organist and Director of Music"

Assistant Organists

Sometimes the appointment has been as "Sub-organist" or, in recent years, "Assistant Director of Music"

Worcester Cathedral

Organists of Worcester Cathedral have included Sir Ivor Atkins, Douglas Guest, Christopher Robinson, the composers Thomas Tomkins, William Hayes, Hugh Blair, and conductors Sir David Willcocks, Donald Hunt and Adrian Lucas.

Organists (and Directors of Music from 2012)

Assistant Organists (and Assistant Directors of Music from 2012)

Sub-Assistant Organists (and Voluntary Choir Choirmasters)

Organists of the Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir

York Minster

Among the notable organists of York Minster are four members of the Camidge family who served as cathedral organists for over 100 years, and a number of composers including James Nares, Edwin George Monk, John Naylor, Thomas Tertius Noble and Francis Jackson.

Organists

The organists of York Minster have had several official titles, including "Master of the Music"; the job description roughly equates to that of Organist and Master of the Choristers. They will have an Assistant Organist, who may be titled simply "Organist". The names of Organists prior to 1633 have been copied from the list of Organists of York Minster on the wall of the North Transept.