William Whitehead (born 23 March 1970) is an English concert organist. Born in Billericay at St Andrew's Centre Hospital, Essex. His father was the late Dr Peter Whitehead, a Pathologist at Billericay. William was trained through the Oxbridge and Cathedral route. One of his recordings, ''Dances of Life and Death'' (released by Chandos Records) was awarded a ''Diapason Découverte'' in ''Diapason'' Magazine. He is currently Associate Organist of Lincoln's Inn in London. He is curator of the Orgelbüchlein Project, an international collaboration to complete Bach's Little Organ Book. He teaches organ scholars at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Training

Whitehead was a pupil at

Taunton School Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18. The current headmaster is Lee Glaser, appointed in the aut ...

. After a period of study at Hereford Cathedral, he took up a place at

University College, Oxford University College (in full The College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford, colloquially referred to as "Univ") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It has a claim to being the oldest college of the unive ...

Organ Scholar An organ scholar is a young musician employed as a part-time assistant organist at a cathedral, church or institution where regular choral services are held. The idea of an organ scholarship is to provide the holder with playing, directing and adm ...

. This was followed by a year's study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. At the same time he held the position of Organ Scholar 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 Unite ...

Career

His first appointment after study was as Assistant Organist of

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

where he was an inaugural director of the new girls' choir. Subsequent appointments were as an Academic Studies Lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music and as Director of Music at

St Mary's, Bourne Street St Mary's, Bourne Street, is an Anglican church on Bourne Street near Sloane Square in London. It was built 'quickly and cheaply' in 1874 by Robert Jewell Withers, with the intention of providing ministry to the poor living in the nearby slums of ...

. Whitehead co-directed the London Organ Forum with Ann Elise Smoot. He was a Professor of Organ at Trinity College of Music in London, and examines for the

Royal College of Organists The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, with members worldwide. Its role is to promote and advance organ playing and choral music, and it offers music education, training and de ...

. He is a solo organist and also plays continuo with groups such as the Gabrieli Consort, Instruments of Time and Truth,

Dunedin Consort Dunedin Consort is Scotland's leading baroque ensemble based in Edinburgh, Scotland, recognised for its vivid and insightful performances and recordings. Formed in 1995 and named after Din Eidyn, the ancient Brittonic Celtic name of Edinburgh Cas ...

and The Academy of Ancient Music. He appeared as a solo organist in the 2017 BBC Proms and at the Royal Festival Hall in 2018.

References

External links

Personal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead, William 1970 births Living people English classical organists British male organists Alumni of University College, Oxford Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music People educated at Taunton School 21st-century organists 21st-century British male musicians Male classical organists