Andrew Forbes (born 1993 in

Perth, Scotland Perth (Scottish English, locally: ; gd, Peairt ) is a city in central Scotland, on the banks of the River Tay. It is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire. It had a population o ...

) is a Scottish organist. He is the Director of Music of

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbishop ...

and the Artistic Director of Glasgow Cathedral Festival. He is an organist, harpsichordist and conductor as well as a trustee of the Glasgow Society of Organists. In addition to his work at Glasgow Cathedral, he has a freelance career as a soloist and ensemble player, with appearances on BBC TV and radio, and concert performances across Europe at venues including the

Philharmonie de Paris The Philharmonie de Paris () ( en, Paris Philharmonic) is a complex of concert halls in Paris, France. The buildings also house exhibition spaces and rehearsal rooms. The main buildings are all located in the Parc de la Villette at the northeaste ...

. Since 2017 Forbes has taught organ in the junior department of the

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( gd, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ( gd, Acadamaidh Rìoghail Ciùil is Dràma na h-Alba) is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and ...

Education and early career

Originally from

, Forbes was educated at

Perth Academy Perth Academy is a state comprehensive secondary school in Perth, Scotland. It was founded in 1696. The institution is a non-denominational one. The school occupies ground on the side of a hill in the Viewlands area of Perth, and is within the Pe ...

, receiving organ lessons from Eoin Bennet in St John's Kirk, Perth. He took an undergraduate degree in

naval architecture Naval architecture, or naval engineering, is an engineering discipline incorporating elements of mechanical, electrical, electronic, software and safety engineering as applied to the engineering design process, shipbuilding, maintenance, and o ...

at the

University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal chart ...

, during which he held the post of organ scholar at

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. In 2012 he played the grand organ of the Royal Albert Hall with the

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional rad ...

and NYOS for a performance of

Respighi Ottorino Respighi ( , , ; 9 July 187918 April 1936) was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. His compositions range over operas, ballets, orchestral suit ...

’s ''

Pines of Rome ''Pines of Rome'' ( it, Pini di Roma, link=no), P 141, is a tone poem in four movements for orchestra completed in 1924 by the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. It is the second of his three tone poems about Rome, following ''Fontane di Roma'' ...

.'' He was later organ scholar at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, during which time he was made an Associate of 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 ...

and won first prize at the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition. Forbes graduated MMus (Distinction) in 2017 from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, also winning the Prize for Early Music. In 2022 he performed Dick Lee's ''Winds of Change'' (2022), written for Forbes and the 1876 Father Willis organ in

Cottiers, Glasgow Cottiers is a theatre located in Glasgow, Scotland. It also operates as a bar and restaurant. Cottiers occupies the building of the 19th-century former Dowanhill Parish Church. Early years of the church The church building was built to serve as ...

Glasgow Cathedral

In October 2014, Forbes was appointed as Director of Music of Glasgow Cathedral, becoming the youngest cathedral organist in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

at the time. In 2016 he founded the Glasgow Cathedral Festival, an annual programme of multi-arts events based in the cathedral. On 11 November 2018 he directed Glasgow Cathedral Choir in a national service commemorating the centenary of

World War 1 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, broadcast live on BBC One. Through Glasgow Cathedral Festival, Forbes commissioned Edwin Hillier's award-winning ''Dhatu'', which had its premiere performance in Glasgow Cathedral.

Discography

* Chris Hutchings — Requiem (Amemptos Music, July 2012) * John Sheppard: Sacred Choral Music (Delphian, November 2013) * Organ Splendour (NIIOC, August 2017)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Andrew Scottish organists British male organists Living people Musicians from Perth, Scotland 21st-century organists 21st-century British male musicians Glasgow Cathedral 1993 births Associates of the Royal College of Organists