If one’s aim in life is to become a cathedral organist,
there is no better training than by way of an organ scholarship (or organ
studentship, as it is still perversely described in one of the major Cambridge
Colleges). It is by being involved daily with choir rehearsals, by coming to
grips with a wide repertoire of choral pieces (the St John’s repertoire
currently consists of over 1,500 items, and new works continue to be added
regularly), and by observing and listening to other choirmasters that one,
almost unconsciously, learns the job. It is impossible to ‘teach’ choir
training and the sine qua non is the particular type of personality that
one happens to be born with or not. It is all-important to be able to imagine
and aim for the perfect performance, perfect in technique and with an
interpretation which moves the listener by its illumination of the inner meaning
of the text.
The ability to play the organ to the highest standard is, of
course, a prime requisite, but it is a paradox that brilliant young organists
are thick on the ground, whereas choir trainers of equal quality are much harder
to come by, largely, I suppose, because of a lack of opportunity in their
schools to develop those particular skills.
Over the years there have been many assistant organists at St
John’s, but it was not until 1946 that the College Council decided formally to
establish the position of Organ Student. At the Council meeting on 29 November
1946, 'the draft regulations for an Organ Studentship prepared by the Committee
appointed on 18 October 1946 were amended and approved', and at the Council
meeting on 24 January 1947 it was 'agreed to elect J C Brown Organ Student with
tenure during the Lent and Easter terms 1947. He will cease to hold a Choral
Studentship.'
The list of holders of the Organ Studentship to date is as
follows:
- James Brown
(Lent and Easter Terms 1947). He became University
Lecturer in Music at the University of Leeds, later becoming Senior Lecturer.
He was also Organist to the University.
- George Guest
(1947-1951). He was a Chorister at Bangor
Cathedral, Wales, and later at Chester Cathedral, where he subsequently became
Sub-Organist. At the end of his period as Organ Student he was offered, and
accepted, the position of Organist (and Choirmaster) of the College on the
retirement of Robin Orr. He remained as Organist until 1991. He served in the
RAF from 1942 to 1946.
- James Bennett
(1951). It was unfortunate that Bennett failed to reach
the standard required by the College in his Latin, in spite of being sent for
special coaching in that subject by Dean Bezzant. He was obliged to leave the
College after only two days as Organ Student.
- David Lumsden
(1951-1953). In our extremity we turned to Selwyn
College for help, and were indeed fortunate to have the services of David (now
Sir David) Lumsden. He subsequently became Organist of St Mary’s Church,
Nottingham, Southwell Minster and New College, Oxford. He was later appointed
Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music before moving to London as
Principal of the Royal Academy of Music. David Lumsden held the title of
Assistant Organist at St John’s.
- Alan Hemmings
(1953-1956). A somewhat introverted character, he taught
for a while at Clifton College, but has since lapsed into a degree of
obscurity and has not kept in touch with the College.
- Peter White
(1956-1960). He became Assistant Organist at Chester
Cathedral on leaving St John’s, later becoming Choirmaster of the Royal
School of Church Music. He subsequently became Director of Music at Merchant
Taylors School, before his appointment as Organist of Leicester Cathedral,
where he stayed until his retirement.
- Brian Runnett
(1960-1963). Although he was not able to offer Latin to
the College he was judged to be eligible on the strength of a MusB degree at
Durham University. On leaving St John’s he was quickly appointed Lecturer in
Music at Manchester University, before accepting an appointment as Organist of
Norwich Cathedral. He was tragically killed in a car accident near Lichfield
in the summer of 1970, on returning from giving an organ recital at
Westminster Abbey.
- Jonathan Bielby
(1963-1967). He served for a time as Assistant
Organist at Manchester Cathedral, before being appointed to Wakefield
Cathedral, where he still directs the music.
- Stephen Cleobury
(1967-1971). He was a Chorister at Worcester
Cathedral. His first appointment on leaving St John’s was at the prestigious
church of St Matthew, Northampton. He later became Sub-Organist of Westminster
Abbey, then Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral, before being appointed
to direct the music at King’s College, Cambridge. He also directs the BBC
Singers.
- Jonathan Rennert
(1971-1974). After a spell as Organist of St Jude’s
Church, Courtfield Gardens, London, and at St Matthew’s Church, Ottawa,
Canada, he was appointed to succeed Harold Darke at St Michael’s, Cornhill,
London.
- John Scott
(1974-1978). He has become an internationally famous organ
virtuoso, as well as an extremely successful choir trainer. He was an
assistant at both St Paul’s and Southwark Cathedrals, later becoming
Sub-Organist at St Paul’s. He was subsequently appointed Director of Music
at St Paul’s Cathedral.
- David Hill
(1976-1979). On leaving St John’s he became Sub-Organist
at Durham Cathedral, before following Stephen Cleobury at Westminster
Cathedral. He combined this with his appointment as Conductor of the Alexandra
Choir, London. David Hill later became Organist of Winchester Cathedral,
retiring from that position in 2002. He has recently been appointed to succeed
Christopher Robinson as Organist of St John’s College on the latter’s
retirement in 2003. He continues to direct the London Bach Choir.
- Ian Shaw
(1978-1981). He was appointed Sub-Organist of Durham
Cathedral, but has since left the cathedral world.
- Adrian Lucas
(1980-1983). The whole of his professional life has been
spent in cathedral music, having been Assistant at Norwich Cathedral, before
first being appointed to Portsmouth Cathedral and then to Worcester Cathedral.
He will succeed Christopher Robinson as Conductor of the City of Birmingham
Choir.
- Andrew Lumsden
(1981-1984). He was a Chorister at New College, Oxford,
under the direction of his father, Sir David Lumsden. On leaving St John’s
he became Assistant Organist at Southwark Cathedral, moving subsequently to
Westminster Abbey as Sub-Organist. He was later appointed Organist of
Lichfield Cathedral, before his recent appointment to succeed David Hill at
Winchester Cathedral.
- James Cryer
(1983-January 1985). Unfortunately he suffered from
ill-health and was unable to complete his degree, and to take up a career
which his many gifts promised.
- Philip Kenyon
(1984-1987). He became Assistant Master at Charterhouse,
and later Assistant Director of Music at Radley College, before leaving the
profession to enter the world of commerce.
- Robert Morgan
(1985-1988). A Chorister at St Woolos Cathedral,
Newport, Wales, he subsequently became Organist of Oakham School, before
moving to a similar position at Oundle School. He has since moved to the
United States.
- Andrew Nethsingha
(1987-1990). He was a Chorister at Exeter Cathedral
under the direction of his father, Lucien Nethsingha. On leaving St John’s
he became Assistant at Wells Cathedral, before moving as Director of Music to
Truro Cathedral. He has recently been appointed to a similar position in
Gloucester Cathedral.
- Alexander Martin
(1988-1991). After study in the Royal College of
Music he became Chef de Chant/Repetiteur at the Opera de Lyon, France. He
later became Pianist/Conductor in Wiesbaden, Germany, before taking up the
post of pianist at the Hamburg State Opera. He is now a freelance pianist and
conductor and conducted two productions for Opéra National du Rhin in 2001.
- Philip Scriven
(1990-1993). He was Sub-Organist at Winchester
Cathedral under David Hill, before following Andrew Lumsden as Director of
Music at Lichfield Cathedral in 2002.
- James Martin
(1991-1994). He took his BA in 1994 and stayed at St
John's for a PhD in Mathematics. From 1998-2000 he was a researcher at the
Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris. He returned to Cambridge in November 2000,
where he is a researcher in the Maths Department and the Computer Laboratory
and is Lector in Statistics at Jesus College. These days he is much more
active as a piano accompanist than as an organist, having recently given
recitals in Cambridge, Oxford, London and Paris, and toured Scotland with the
violinist Nicola Davis in summer 2001.
- Allan Walker
(1993-1996). A former Head Chorister of St John’s, he
worked as a freelance musician in Kenya from 1996 to 1998 before returning to
England and working as Operations Manager for Harrow School Enterprises Ltd.
He is also Organist of St Mary-on-Paddington Green Church and of St Mary
Magdalene Church, London.
- Peter Davis
(1994-1997). He became Assistant Music Master at
Haberdashers’ Aske’s School, Elstree, and was subsequently appointed
Director of Music at Haileybury College.
- Iain Farrington (1996-1999). On leaving St John’s he studied
piano accompaniment for two years at the Royal Academy of Music, gaining a
Dip RAM. In 2001, he won the Megan Foster Prize for Accompanists at the
Royal Opera House, and he now regularly works with Lesley Garrett, the BBC
Singers and the London Symphony Chorus.
- Robert Houssart (1997-2000). He was Organ Scholar at Westminster
Cathedral and has recently been appointed Assistant Organist at Gloucester
Cathedral.
- Christopher Whitton (1999-2002). He has been awarded a Kennedy
Scholarship at Harvard University, USA, to study Classics.
- Jonathan Vaughn (2000- )
- John Robinson (2002- )
Organists of St John’s College 1946 to date
Robin Orr (1938-1951)
George Guest (1951-1991)
Christopher Robinson (1991-2003)
David Hill (2003- )
NB The term ‘Organist’ always implies ‘Organist and
Choirmaster’, as does the term ‘Director of Music’.
George Guest
