ST JOHN’S COLLEGE ORGAN RECITAL SERIES
Easter Term 2024
SUNDAY 28 APRIL 18:00
Jonathan Lee - Organ Scholar
Trinity College, Cambridge
J S Bach Prelude in E minor (BWV 548)
Whitlock Scherzetto (Sonata in C)
Boulanger Petit canon (Trois Improvisations)
J S Bach Fugue in E minor (BWV 548)
SUNDAY 5 MAY 18:00
Robert Sharpe - Director of Music York Minster
J S Bach Prelude in E flat (BWV 552i)
Jackson Prelude on East Acklam
Moore Soliloquy (on the theme J.A.C.K.S.O.N.)
J S Bach Fugue in E flat ‘St Anne’ (BWV 552ii)
SUNDAY 12 MAY 18:00
Andreana Chan - Organ Scholar
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Stanford Fantasia and Toccata in D minor
Howells Psalm Prelude (set 1 no.1)
Vierne Toccata in B flat minor
SUNDAY 19 MAY 18:00
Tim Parsons - Director of Music
St Edmundsbury Cathedral
Alain Première Fantaisie
Blatchly Andante Sostenuto for TJYP
Messiaen Joie et clarté des Corps Glorieux
Beethoven Cavatina (String Quartet in B flat) (trans. Parsons)
Duruflé Choral varié sur le theme du ‘Veni Creator’
SUNDAY 2 JUNE 18:00
SUNDAY 26 MAY 18:00
Adrian Bawtree - Director of Music
Rochester Cathedral
Howells Paean
Bruhns Praeludium in E minor
Bovet Salamanca
Dupré Cortège et Litanie
Tim Ravalde - Assistant Organist
Chichester Cathedral
Leighton Fanfare
Ravalde Prelude on a theme by Orlando Gibbons
Franck Prélude, Fugue et Variation
Haynes Toccata
Ravalde Veni creator
SUNDAY 9 JUNE 18:00
Jeremiah Mead - Organ Scholar
Truro Cathedral
Preston Alleluyas
Bridge Adagio in E major
Ficarri
Visions of the Holy Spirit
iii. Mystic Man
iv. Conversion of America
Demessieux Choral Prelude on Hossana Filio David
Vierne Carillon de Westminster
SUNDAY 16 JUNE 18:00
Stephen Disley
Tredinnick Brief Encounters
Gardner Jig and Fling (from Five Dances)
Eben Mutations
i. Impetuoso
ii. Allegretto
iii. Veemente
iv. Scherando
v. Rapodico
vi. Grazioso
Vierne Légende (from pièces en style libre)
Stamm Toccata (Suite no.3)
A full specification of the Mander Organ is available online.
SUNDAY 30 JUNE 18:00
Tingshuo Yang - Junior Organ Scholar
St John’s College
Bairstow Organ Sonata in E flat
i. Andante serioso, ma con moto
ii. Allegro giocoso
iii. Maestoso
Gowers Toccata (Toccata and Fugue)
SUNDAY 7 JULY 18:00
Alex Robson - Herbert Howells Organ Scholar
St John’s College
Laurin
Étude Héroïque
Gubaidulina Hell und Dunkel
Demessieux Te Deum
Jonathan Lee began his organ studies in Australia at Canberra Grammar School, Wesley Uniting Church and the Australian Capital Territory Organ School under Philip Swanton and Christopher Wrench. From 2019-20 he was Organ Scholar at Hereford Cathedral under Geraint Bowen and Peter Dyke.
A prize-winner at the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition 2023 (3rd prize) and the Brian Runnett Prize Competition 2022 (1st prize), he also holds awards from the Royal College of Organists (Coventry Cathedral Recital Award, Turpin and Durrant Prizes) and the Australian Music Foundation (Nora Goodridge Young Artist Award 2022, Guy Parsons Award, 2023). He was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 2022.
Jonathan continues to study with Stephen Farr, Colin Walsh, Douglas Hollick and David Briggs, and has also benefited from the tuition of Pieter van Dijk. He was an organ scholar under Stephen Layton for three years and his recording credits include Trinity’s recently-released ‘Anthems Vol.1’ on the Hyperion label.
Robert Sharpe succeeded Dr Philip Moore as Director of Music at York Minster in 2008, being only the fifth holder of that position since 1897.
His work at York Minster centres around the daily choral tradition, and the famous Minster organ. The daily service has gained a reputation both at home and, since livestreaming began as a response to the covid pandemic, abroad, for the chanting of the psalms and for the breadth of repertoire performed. Robert seeks not only to include the greatest works of the past, but also regularly to commission new works, as well as to champion the work of women composers. In addition, he performs frequently as an organ soloist.
On Easter Day 2021, the famous Minster organ was rededicated after a significant (and groundbreaking) reconstruction by the Durham firm of Harrison & Harrison. This sought to recapture the character of the instrument, as left by Sir Edward Bairstow and Arthur Harrison in 1931. The results have attracted considerable interest in the world of organ building and are widely acclaimed.
From 2019 to 2021, Robert served as President of the Cathedral Organists’ Association. He is currently serving as President of the Incorporated Association of Organists.
Andreana Chan is currently in her final year as Senior Organ Scholar at Pembroke College, Cambridge. She was previously Music Scholar at St Paul’s Girls’ School, London, and Organ Scholar at St Mary’s, Barnes.
She has performed as a soloist in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Reading Town Hall, St Thomas’s Fifth Avenue, New York; Leeds Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, St John’s Smith Square, Truro Cathedral, and St Edmundsbury Cathedral. She was Principal Accompanist of the Rodolfus Choral Course in August 2023, playing on a BBC Radio 3 broadcast from St John’s College, Cambridge. She was the organist on the first ever BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong broadcast from Pembroke College. Recording credits include Heaven to Earth, an album of choral music by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and an upcoming Sony album with Pembroke College Chapel Choir.
She has acted as Musical Director and répetiteur of various opera and musical theatre productions across Cambridge. She is a keen violinist and pianist who achieved her LRSM diploma aged 17. She is also President of Sing Inside Cambridge, a charity that runs singing workshops in prisons to promote mental health and break down social barriers.
Timothy Parsons took up the position of Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in April 2021. He has responsibility for all aspects of the Cathedral’s music, most importantly the Cathedral Choir. Prior to this, he worked at Exeter Cathedral for five years as Assistant Director of Music, where he was the principal organist for services, concerts, recordings and broadcasts and directed the Cathedral’s voluntary choir, the St Peter’s Singers.
Born to musical parents in 1992, Timothy was a chorister at Guildford Cathedral and a music scholar at Charterhouse. He went on to hold the organ scholarship at Hereford Cathedral (2010-11) and then read Music as Organ Scholar of Selwyn College, Cambridge, graduating with a starred first in 2014. Whilst at Cambridge he also held the organ scholarship for King’s Voices, the mixed-voice choir of King’s College Chapel. He held the post-graduate organ scholarship at Winchester Cathedral from 2014 to 2016, also working for a term as Acting Assistant Director of Music.
Timothy is an active soloist, having given recitals at cathedrals including St Paul’s, London and Liverpool (Anglican). In 2018 he recorded a disc of organ music at Exeter for Regent Records’ English Cathedral Series, which was praised for its ‘vigour, optimism and supreme self confidence’ (MusicWeb International) and ‘virtuoso command of the organ’ (Organists’ Review). He is also a busy composer, mainly writing to fill a liturgical need at his places of work. His anthem The Lord is King, a setting of Psalm 93, has been recorded on CD and performed live on BBC Radio 3.
In September 2024, Timothy takes up the role of Director of Music at Wells Cathedral.
Adrian Bawtree is the Director of Music & Organist at Rochester Cathedral, a position he started in September 2022. Formerly, he was the Second Assistant Organist at Canterbury Cathedral alongside teaching the organ at The King’s School and St Edmund’s School in Canterbury. He was also the musical director of Cantores Dominicae and The Canterbury Singers, whilst also freelancing as an Organist and Conductor.
Adrian studied the organ at Christ’s Hospital and progressed to the Royal Academy of Music and then as Organ Scholar at Worcester College, Oxford. He won the silver medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians when he was awarded the Fellowship diploma from the Royal College of Organists. He studied orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music on a post-graduate course, which he completed with distinction. Prior to working in Cathedral music, he taught at Christ’s Hospital School where he was the School Organist and then Director of Music.
When he moved with his family to Kent in 2011, he worked in the Arts and Health arena, and is now a co- Director of the Kent Arts and Wellbeing Partnership. Their most recent project is working creatively with Armed Forces Veterans in Kent.
Timothy Ravalde is the Assistant Organist of Chichester Cathedral where he accompanies the daily choral services and assists with the training of the choir. He was educated at the Nelson Thomlinson School, Wigton, and the University of Cambridge, and has held organ scholarships at Carlisle Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral and St John’s College, Cambridge.
Jeremiah Mead holds a Master of Music degree in organ and sacred music from Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Juilliard School. At Jacobs he studied organ performance with Dr Christopher Young and sacred music with Dr Jeffrey Smith. At Juilliard, he studied organ performance with renowned organist Paul Jacobs. Previous to this he studied organ performance with Dr Ezequiel Menendez at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford, CT, and with Dr Andrew Kotylo at Trinity Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a chorister in the Trinity Choir of Men and Boys in New Haven, Connecticut, under the direction of Walden Moore.
Jeremiah serves as organ scholar at Truro Cathedral in Truro, Cornwall. During his time at Jacobs School of Music, he served as Director of Music and Organist at First Presbyterian Church in Bedford, Indiana. Jeremiah has performed in various locations in the US, including New York City, Indiana, Washington DC and Connecticut. Jeremiah is a native of Madison, Connecticut. When not at the organ, he can be found pursuing his interest in model railroads and railroad photography.
Stephen Disley was a joint Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music and London’s Temple Church. He has performed and broadcast with ensembles such as the Budapest Radio Choir, the Bach Choir and the BBC Singers – including a recording of ‘Choir Book for The Queen’ conducted by Sir Stephen Cleobury. Other performances include concerts with the Mexico StateSymphony Orchestra, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra and as organ soloist in Warsaw, Cologne and the Royal festival Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutiot.
He has also performed premiers of music by Sir Peter Maxwell-Davis, Judith Bingham, Bob Chilcott, Gabriel Jackson and others.
Alex Robson is the Herbert Howells Organ Scholar at St John’s College, where he studies Music in his second year. Alex found his love for music on the piano at age 6, and began organ lessons when he started secondary school. He received his ARCO diploma in 2019 and while still at school he played for the parish choir at St Paul’s, Rusthall for services, concerts and cathedral visits. He has also played the piano and clarinet in the Kent Youth Wind Orchestra and Kent Country Youth Orchestra.
In 2021, Alex was Organ Scholar at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where he played regularly for the daily services and special events. Besides accompanying the choir, he enjoyed teaching the younger choristers in the mornings as girls were admitted for the first time, and conducting the Lay Clerks once a fortnight. Particular highlights of the year included recordings with the choir, the services in Holy Week including the Royal Maundy service, and the Garter Day service.
Alex studies the organ with Ann Elise Smoot, and the piano with Marie-Noëlle Kendall. He has given recitals in Cambridge, London and Oxford, and looks forward to the tours and recordings with the College Choir. His other interests include cross-country running and learning foreign languages.
Tingshuo Yang is the Junior Organ Scholar at St John’s College, where he studies Music in his first year. He has shown an unquenchable thirst for music since his childhood, having his first piano lesson aged four. He studied at the Royal College of Music Junior Department from 2012 until 2016, attaining his DipABSRM aged 10 and LRSM two years later. He also studied at the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg with Professor Jean Muller and was the winner of annual award of “Prix du meilleur laureat” in 2019. In April that year, Tingshuo made his solo debut with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 2018, Tingshuo was awarded a music scholarship to Eton College, where he studied piano with Jenny Stern and organ with Philip Scriven and played regularly for the Lower and College Chapel Choirs. While at Eton, he attained his ARCO and in 2020, came runner up in the under-25s category of Composition Competition of the Royal College of Organists. In August 2023, he was highly commended in the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition and worked with David Hill as the organ scholar of the Charles Wood Festival in Armagh. Tingshuo has also been shortlisted for the NCEM Young Composers Award 2024. Currently, he studies organ with Colin Walsh.
Tingshuo’s debut piano album, J. S. Bach: Clavieruebung Part I: Partitas, will be released on Luxembourg Classics in June 2024.
ORGAN SCHOLARS AT ST JOHN’S COLLEGE
There are two Organ Scholars who assist the Director of Music in the running of the Choir. They accompany the Choir in its daily round of services and assist in the training of its Choristers at St John’s College School.
Most former Organ Scholars have gone on to pursue high profile musical careers - Stephen Cleobury, John Scott, David Hill, Andrew Lumsden, Adrian Lucas, Andrew Nethsingha and Iain Farrington were all Organ Scholars at St John’s. A list of former Organ Scholars is below.
The College encourages the performance of new repertoire and there is a fund available for the purchase of organ music. The College’s commitment to new music means that Organ Scholars have the opportunity to give first performances of new works by leading composers.
The College pays for organ and improvisation lessons and substantial performance fees are paid for the many ‘extra’ services and concerts which are undertaken by the Choir. Organ Scholars also benefit from playing continuo with professional orchestras and ensembles. Funds are also available to support Organ Scholars working towards their ARCO and FRCO examinations.
Our next vacancy is in 2025, which can be applied for in either the 2023 or 2024 Organ Trials. Find out more about the application process online.
