This is a list of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

organists. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as "Westminster Abbey", is a large, mainly

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

abbey church, in the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and London boroughs, borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of cent ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parli ...

. It is the traditional site for the

Coronation of the British monarch The coronation of the monarch of the United Kingdom is a ceremony (specifically, initiation rite) in which they are formally invested with regalia and crowned at Westminster Abbey. It corresponds to the coronations that formerly took place in ot ...

and many former kings and queens are buried there.

Organists

*1559 John Taylour *1570 Robert White *1574 Henry Leeve *1585 Edmund Hooper *1621 John Parsons *1623

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...

*1625-1644 Richard Portman *1660

Christopher Gibbons Christopher Gibbons ( bapt. 22 August 1615 – 20 October 1676) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque period. He was the second son, and first surviving child of the composer Orlando Gibbons. Life and career Background Chri ...

*1666

Albertus Bryne Albertus Bryne (variants: Albert Bryan; Albert Brian) (ca. 1621 – 2 December 1668) was an English organist and composer. Biography His teacher was John Tomkins, organist of St Paul's Cathedral, a role in which he succeeded his teacher in 1638. ...

*1668

John Blow John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque music, Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

*1695

John Blow John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque music, Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,William Croft William Croft (baptised 30 December 1678 – 14 August 1727) was an English composer and organist. Life Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal under the instruction of John Blow ...

*1727 John Robinson *1762

Benjamin Cooke Benjamin Cooke (1734 – 14 September 1793) was an English composer, organist and teacher. Cooke was born in London and named after his father, also Benjamin Cooke (1695/1705 – 1743), a music publisher based in Covent Garden (active from 1 ...

*1793

Samuel Arnold Samuel Arnold may refer to: *Samuel Arnold (composer) (1740–1802), English composer and organist * Samuel Arnold (Connecticut politician) (1806–1869), U.S. Representative from Connecticut * Samuel Arnold (conspirator) (1834–1906), co-conspira ...

*1803 Robert Cooke *1814

George Ebenezer Williams George Ebenezer Williams (30 August 1783 − 17 April 1819) was an English organist and composer.Thomas Greatorex Thomas Greatorex (5 October 1758 – 18 July 1831) was an English composer, astronomer and mathematician. As well as being organist of Westminster Abbey, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society. Career Born in Wingfield near Chesterfield, Derbyshi ...

*1831

James Turle James Turle (5 March 1802 – 28 June 1882) was an English organist and composer, best known today as the writer of several widely sung Anglican chants and the hymn tune "Westminster" sung to the words of Frederick William Faber "My God, how wond ...

*1882 Sir

Frederick Bridge Sir John Frederick Bridge (5 December 1844 – 18 March 1924) was an English organist, composer, teacher and writer. From a musical family, Bridge became a church organist before he was 20, and he achieved his ambition to become a cathedral ...

, CVO *1918 Sir

Sydney Nicholson Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson (9 February 1875 – 30 May 1947) was an English choir director, organist and composer, now chiefly remembered as the founder of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and the compiler of ''The Parish Psalter''. Li ...

, MVO *1928 Sir

Ernest Bullock Sir Ernest Bullock (1890–1979) was an English organist, composer, and teacher. He was organist of Exeter Cathedral from 1917 to 1928 and of Westminster Abbey from 1928 to 1941. In the latter post he was jointly responsible for the music at the ...

, CVO *1941-1945

Osborne Harold Peasgood Osborne Harold Peasgood CVO (5 March 1902 – 25 January 1962) was an organist at Westminster Abbey who played at a number of state occasions in the Abbey, including the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Peasgood was born in London on 5 March 190 ...

CVO (Acting) *1941 Sir

William Neil McKie Sir William Neil McKie (22 May 19011 December 1984) was an Australian organist, conductor, and composer. He was Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey 1941–1963 and noted for his direction of the music for the marriage o ...

, MVO *1963

Douglas Guest Douglas Albert Guest (9 May 1916 – 18 November 1996) was an English organist, conductor, teacher and composer. Education Guest was born in Mortomley, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, and studied originally at the Royal College of Music a ...

, CVO *1981

Simon Preston Simon John Preston (4 August 1938 – 13 May 2022) was an English organist, conductor, and composer.
...

, CBE *1988

Martin Neary Martin Gerard James Neary LVO is an English organist and choral conductor. Neary was born in London, and read theology and music at Cambridge University. He was Organist and Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral from 1972 to 1988, and Org ...

, LVO *1998-1999 Martin Baker (Acting) *2000 James O'Donnell

Sub Organists

*1860 Charles Sherwood Jekyll *1875 Sir

CVO *1881 Henry Davan WettonThe Musical Times and Singing-class Circular *1896 Sir

Walter Galpin Alcock Sir Walter Galpin Alcock (29 December 186111 September 1947) was an English organist and composer. He held a number of prominent positions as an organist and played at the coronations of three monarchs. He was professor of organ in the Royal Co ...

MVO *1917 Stanley Roper CVO *1921

CVO *1941 ''Vacant'' *1946

CVO *1954

Derek Holman Derek Holman, (16 May 1931 – 20 May 2019) was a choral conductor, organist and composer. Life and work Born at Illogan, Cornwall, UK, Holman attended the Royal Academy of Music from 1948 to 1952 and studied with Sir William McKie, Er ...

CM *1956 Robert Henry Charles Palmer *1962

Simon Preston Simon John Preston (4 August 1938 – 13 May 2022) was an English organist, conductor, and composer.
...

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

*1967 Tim Farrell *1974 Sir

Stephen Cleobury Sir Stephen John Cleobury ( ; 31 December 1948 – 22 November 2019)CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

*1978

Christopher Herrick Christopher Herrick is an English concert organist best known for his interpretation of J.S. Bach’s organ music and for his many recordings on the finest pipe organs from around the world. Early life Born in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, Her ...

*1984

Harry Bicket Harry Alexander Clarence Bicket (born 1961) is a British conductor, harpsichordist and organist. He is particularly associated with the baroque and classical repertoire. Bicket was educated at Radley College, Christ Church, Oxford, where he ...

*1988 *1988 Andrew Lumsden *1992 Martin Baker *1998 Philip Scriven (Acting) *2000 Andrew Reid *2004

Robert Quinney Robert Quinney (born 1976 in Nottingham, England) is Director of the Choir of New College, Oxford, and was formerly Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey and Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral. In addition to his work at New College, he has ...

*2013

Daniel Cook Daniel Cook may refer to: * Daniel Cook (gymnast), British acrobatic gymnast * Daniel Cook (musician) (born 1979), English organist, conductor and singer * Daniel Pope Cook (1794–1827), American politician, lawyer and newspaper publisher from Il ...

*2017 Peter Holder

Assistant organists

*Charles Jekyll 1875 *W.J. Winter 1886–1895 *

Walter Alcock Sir Walter Galpin Alcock (29 December 186111 September 1947) was an English organist and composer. He held a number of prominent positions as an organist and played at the coronations of three monarchs. He was professor of organ in the Royal Co ...

1896–1916 (later knighted, and Organist of

Salisbury Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England. The cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Salisbury and is the seat of the Bishop of Salisbury. The buildi ...

) *Hugh Marchant 1947–1950 *Hugo Limer 1950–1959 *Rilford Trafalgar 1959–1984 *

David Bruce-Payne David Bruce-Payne (born 1945) is a former cathedral organist, who served at St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham, England. Background David Malcolm Bruce-Payne was born on 8 August 1945 in Banbury, Oxfordshire. He was a chorister at King's Colle ...

1968–1974 (later Director of Music at Birmingham Cathedral) *Christopher Herrick *Geoffrey Morgan 1978–1988 (later Sub-Organist at

Guildford Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford, commonly known as Guildford Cathedral, is the Anglican cathedral at Guildford, Surrey, England. Richard Onslow donated the first of land on which the cathedral stands, with Viscount Bennett, ...

, now Organist of

Christchurch Priory Christchurch Priory is an ecclesiastical parish and former priory church in Christchurch in the English county of Dorset (formerly in Hampshire). It is one of the longest parish churches in the country and is as large as many of the Church of E ...

) *Miles Quick 1989-1991 *Stephen Le Prevost 1991–2001 (currently organist and director of music at the Town Church in St-Peter-Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands) *Simon Bell 2001–2002 (later assistant director of Music at

Winchester Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...

and subsequently Director of Schola Cantorum of

Tewkesbury Abbey The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury–commonly known as Tewkesbury Abbey–is located in the English county of Gloucestershire. A former Benedictine monastery, it is now a parish church. Considered one of the finest examples of Nor ...

) *

2003–2005 (later assistant director of Music at

, Organist and Master of the Choristers at

St Davids Cathedral St Davids Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi) is situated in St DavidsBritain's smallest city in the county of Pembrokeshire, near the most westerly point of Wales. Early history The monastic community was founded by Saint David, Abbot ...

, Sub-Organist of

, and subsequently Organist and Master of the Choristers at

Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...

) *

Ashley Grote Ashley Grote is Master of Music at Norwich Cathedral and a fellow of the Royal College of Organists. Born in 1982, Grote grew up in Colchester and attended Eld Lane Baptist Church with his family, where he sang in the choir and first played the ...

2005–2008 (later assistant director of Music at

Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the River Severn. It originated with the establishment of a minster dedicated to S ...

, now Master of Music at

Norwich Cathedral Norwich Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich and is one of the Norwich 12 heritage sites. The cathedral ...

) * James McVinnie 2008–2011 *Martin Ford 2012-2015 *Matthew Jorysz 2016-

Organ Scholars

*James Cryer *Jonathan Dimmock *Adrian Lenthall *Simon Morley (became Assistant Organist at

Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Minster, or the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln and sometimes St Mary's Cathedral, in Lincoln, England, is a Grade I listed cathedral and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Lincoln. Constructio ...

, thence Organist of

Ripon Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. Founded as a monastery by monks of the Irish tradition in the 660s, i ...

) *Geoffrey Styles (became Organ Scholar at

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual r ...

*James Cryer *Nick Murdoch *Jane Watts 1981-1982 *Richard Moorhouse 1990–1992 (Organist and Master of the Choristers at

Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf) is an Anglican cathedral and parish church in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. It is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is dedicated to Saint Peter ...

) *Meirion Wynn Jones 1992–1993 (Assistant Organist at

Brecon Cathedral Brecon Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu), in the town of Brecon, Powys, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales and seat of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Previously the church of Brecon Priory ...

) * William Whitehead 1993 - 1994 (became Assistant Organist at

Rochester Cathedral Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an English church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Kent. The church is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rochester in the Church of England and the s ...

) *Louise Reid (née Marsh) 1994 - 1996 *John Hosking 1996–1999 (Assistant Organist at

St Asaph Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saints Asaph and Cyndeyrn, commonly called St Asaph Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy), is a cathedral in St Asaph, Denbighshire, north Wales. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of St Asaph. The cathedral d ...

) *Iestyn Evans 1999–2000 (Director of Music, St James's, Spanish Place, London) *Simon Bell 2000–2001 (assistant director of Music at

and subsequently Director of Schola Cantorum of

) *Justin Luke 2001–2002 *

2002–2003 (Organist and Master of the Choristers at

, assistant director of Music at

and subsequently Organist of

) *Richard Hills 2003–2004 (Organist of St Mary's, Bourne Street, London) *Ian Keatley 2004–2006 (Organist and Director of Music at

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Christ Church Cathedral, more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the ( ...

) *Simon Jacobs 2006–2007 *Benjamin Chewter 2007–2008 (Assistant Organist at

and subsequently assistant director of Music at

Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Sain ...

) *Léon Charles 2008–2009 (See http://leoncharles.co.uk for more details) *Samuel Prouse 2009–2010 *Edward Tambling 2010-2011 (assistant director of Music, St James's, Spanish Place, London) *Andrej Kouznetsov 2011-2012 (Organist,

St John's Cathedral (Brisbane) St John's Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and the metropolitan cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of Queensland, Australia. It is dedicated to St John the Evangelist. The cathedral is situated in Ann Street ...

) * Peter Holder 2012–2014 *Jeremy Woodside 2014-2015 *

Matthew Jorysz Matthew Jorysz (born 22 December 1992) is an English organist and pianist. He is Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey. Jorysz was organ scholar at Salisbury Cathedral from 2011 to 2012 before reading music at Clare College, Cambridge, where ...

2015 - 2016 *Benjamin Cunningham 2016-2018 (assistant director of Chapel Music,

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

) *Alexander Hamilton 2018-2020 (assistant director of Music, Wells Cathedral) *Charles Maxtone-Smith 2020-

References

{{reflist Abbey organists