# 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 administrative experience. It is an important part of music-making in Christian worship and is strongly associated with, but is not limited to, Anglican church music in the United Kingdom, Australia and the USA.
Organ scholars may sometimes be found at a cathedral or a collegiate church. Many colleges at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Trinity College Dublin, as well as other universities, offer organ scholarships to undergraduates. At some institutions (for example, Christ Church, Oxford, New College, Oxford, Trinity College Dublin or King's College, Cambridge), the organ scholar(s) work under the direction of a full-time professional director of music. At other institutions, the organ scholar is in charge of running the choir.
One of the first organ scholarships in the University of Cambridge was set up by Queens' College, Cambridge. An early scholar there was the composer Charles Villiers Stanford, who took up his position there in 1870.
Many organ scholars have gone on to notable careers in music and in other fields. Two notable ex-organ scholars who went on to achieve fame in other fields are Edward Heath, who read Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Balliol College, Oxford and later served as British Prime Minister 1970–1974; and Dudley Moore, who read music at Magdalen College, Oxford and went on to a career in acting.

## Notable organ scholars at universities and colleges

| Name | Institution | Dates | Later appointments |
| Hugh Percy Allen | Christ's College, Cambridge | 1892–1895 | Organist of St Asaph Cathedral, Ely Cathedral and New College, Oxford; professor of music at the University of Oxford and director of the Royal College of Music |
| James Anderson-Besant | St John's College, Cambridge | 2016−2020 | Organist of Truro Cathedral, 2023−present |
| Malcolm Archer | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1972–1975 | Organist of Bristol Cathedral, Wells Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral; director of chapel music and organist of Winchester College |
| Richard Armstrong | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 1961 | Music Director of Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera |
| Thomas Armstrong | Keble College, Oxford | 1919-1921 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Martin Baker | Downing College, Cambridge | 1985–1988 | Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral |
| Sarah Baldock | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 1993-1996 | Assistant Director of Music Winchester Cathedral, organist of Chichester Cathedral, director of music at Winchester College |
| Ayo Bankole | Clare College, Cambridge | 1961–1964 | Organist of Lagos Cathedral |
| Stephen Barlow | Trinity College, Cambridge | 1972–1975 | |
| Benjamin Bayl | King's College, Cambridge | 1997–2000 | |
| Kenneth Beard | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 1949–1952 | Organist of Southwell Minster |
| John Bertalot | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and Lincoln College, Oxford | 1955–1958 (Corpus Christi) ? (Lincoln) | Organist of Blackburn Cathedral |
| Harry Bicket | Christ Church, Oxford | 1980–1983 | Director of The English Concert |
| Jonathan Bielby | St John's College, Cambridge | 1963–1967 | Organist of Wakefield Cathedral |
| Hugh Blair | Christ's College, Cambridge | 1883-1886 | Organist of Worcester Cathedral |
| Mark Blatchly | Christ Church, Oxford | 1978–1981 | Organist of St Edmundsbury Cathedral |
| Geraint Bowen | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1982–1985 | Organist of St Davids Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral |
| John Dykes Bower | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 1922 | Organist of Truro Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral |
| Harry Bramma | Pembroke College, Oxford | 1955–1960 | Organist of Southwark Cathedral and director of the Royal School of Church Music |
| Herbert Brewer | Exeter College, Oxford | 1883–1885 | Composer, organist of Bristol Cathedral and Gloucester Cathedral |
| David Briggs | King's College, Cambridge | 1981–1984 | Organist of Truro Cathedral and Gloucester Cathedral |
| Paul Brough | Magdalen College, Oxford | 1983–1986 | Organist of Sheffield Cathedral, director of music at All Saints, Margaret Street. |
| William Denis Browne | Clare College, Cambridge | 1910–1912 | Composer and music critic |
| John Butt | King's College, Cambridge | 1979–1982 | Gardiner Professor of Music, Glasgow University |
| Timothy Byram-Wigfield | Christ Church, Oxford | 1982–1985 | Sub-organist of Winchester Cathedral, organist of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, St George's Chapel, Windsor. Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge, and now at All Saints, Margaret Street |
| Andrew Cantrill | College of St. Hild and St. Bede, Durham | 1987–1991 | Director of Music at Saint Paul's Cathedral, Wellington and organist and master of choristers at Croydon Minster |
| Nicholas Cleobury | Worcester College, Oxford | 1968–1971 | Assistant Organist of Chichester Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Stephen Cleobury | St John's College, Cambridge | 1967–1971 | Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, director of music at King's College, Cambridge |
| Norman Cocker | Merton College, Oxford | 1907–1909 | Organist of Manchester Cathedral |
| E. T. Cook | The Queen's College, Oxford | | Organist of Southwark Cathedral |
| John Cook | Christ's College, Cambridge | | Organist of St. Paul's Cathedral (London, Ontario) |
| Deryck Cooke | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 1938–40, 1946–1947 | Broadcaster and musicologist |
| David Cooper | Lincoln College, Oxford | 1967–1970 | Organist of Norwich Cathedral |
| Joseph Cooper | Keble College, Oxford | 1931–1934 | |
| Robert Costin | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 1990–1993 | Assistant director of music at Blackburn Cathedral, director of music at Rugby School Thailand |
| Stephen Darlington | Christ Church, Oxford | 1971–1974 | Organist of St Albans Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Andrew Davis | King's College, Cambridge | 1963–1966 | Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra |
| Christopher Dearnley | Worcester College, Oxford | 1948–1952 | Organist of Salisbury Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral |
| Ralph Downes | Keble College, Oxford | 1925–1928 | Professor of organ at the Royal College of Music, organist of the London Oratory and designer and curator of the organ of the Royal Festival Hall |
| Clive Driskill-Smith | Christ Church, Oxford | 1996–1999 | Sub-Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Kingsley Charles Dunham | Hatfield College, Durham | | |
| Richard Egarr | Clare College, Cambridge | 1982–1985 | Music Director of Academy of Ancient Music |
| Richard Farnes | King's College, Cambridge | 1983–1986 | Music Director of Opera North |
| Stephen Farr | Clare College, Cambridge | 1984 | Sub-organist Christ Church, Oxford, Sub-organist Winchester Cathedral, organist of Guildford Cathedral |
| Iain Farrington | St John's College, Cambridge | 1996–1999 | |
| Thomas Fielden | Jesus College, Oxford | 1905 | |
| Jeremy Filsell | Keble College, Oxford and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1982–1985 | Organist of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, artist-in-residence at Washington National Cathedral |
| Roger Fisher | Christ Church, Oxford | 1959–1962 | Organist of Chester Cathedral |
| William Glock | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1926 | BBC Controller of Music |
| David Goode | King's College, Cambridge | 1991–1994 | Organist of Eton College |
| Christopher Gower | Magdalen College, Oxford | 1958 - 1961 | Assistant Exeter Cathedral, Organist and Master of the Choristers Portsmouth Cathedral Master of Music at Peterborough Cathedral |
| Steven Grahl | Magdalen College, Oxford | 1998-2001 | Organist & Director of Music at St Marylebone Parish Church, assistant organist of New College, Oxford |
| Christopher Gray | Pembroke College, Cambridge | | Organist and Master of the Choristers, Truro Cathedral (2008−2022); Director of Music, St John's College, Cambridge (2023−) |
| Francis Grier | King's College, Cambridge | 1973–1976 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Claudia Grinnell | Peterhouse, Cambridge | | Organist of St Edmundsbury Cathedral, 2024−present |
| Douglas Guest | King's College, Cambridge | 1935–1939 | Organist of Westminster Abbey |
| George Guest | St John's College, Cambridge | 1947–1951 | Director of Music of St John's College, Cambridge |
| Paul Hale | New College, Oxford | 1971–1974 | Rector Chori of Southwell Minster |
| Charles Harrison | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1992–1995 | Organist and Master of the Choristers at Chichester Cathedral |
| Edward Heath | Balliol College, Oxford | 1935–1939 | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom |
| Gerald Hendrie | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 1954-1957 | Founding Professor of Music at the Open University |
| Christopher Herrick | Exeter College, Oxford | 1959–1962 | Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey |
| Richard Hickox | Queens' College, Cambridge | 1967–1970 | Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales |
| Edward Higginbottom | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 1966–1970 | Director of Music at New College, Oxford |
| David Hill | St John's College, Cambridge | 1976–1979 | Master of Music of Westminster Cathedral and at Winchester Cathedral, director of music at St John's College, Cambridge, director of the BBC Singers |
| Martin How | Clare College, Cambridge | 1949-1952 | |
| Peter Hurford | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1949–1953 | Organist of St Albans Cathedral |
| Marcus Huxley | Worcester College, Oxford | 1972-1974 | Organist of St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham |
| Daniel Hyde | King's College, Cambridge | 2000–2003 | Organist and Director of Music at Saint Thomas Church, New York (2016−2019); Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge (2019−present) |
| Carl Jackson | Downing College, Cambridge | 1978–1981 | Director of Music of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace |
| Rupert Jeffcoat | St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 1989-1992 | Organist of Coventry Cathedral, organist and director of music at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane |
| Raymond Johnston | Peterhouse, Cambridge | 1981-1984 | Director of Music at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Minneapolis |
| Edward Elwyn Jones | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | | Organist of Harvard University |
| Max Kenworthy | Brasenose College, Oxford | 1996–1998 | Assistant Organist of Saint Paul's Cathedral, Wellington |
| John Keys | New College, Oxford | 1978-1981 | Organist of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham |
| Charles Herbert Kitson | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 1893 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin |
| James Lancelot | King's College, Cambridge | 1971–1974 | Sub-organist of Winchester Cathedral, organist of Durham Cathedral |
| Anna Lapwood | Magdalen College, Oxford | | Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge and Associate Artist at Royal Albert Hall |
| Stephen Layton | King's College, Cambridge | 1985–1988 | Director of Music, Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Henry Ley | Keble College, Oxford | 1906–1909 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Richard Lloyd | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1952–1955 | Organist of Hereford Cathedral and Durham Cathedral |
| Simon Lole | King's College London | | Director of Music at Sheffield Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral |
| Adrian Lucas | St John's College, Cambridge | 1980–1983 | Organist of Portsmouth Cathedral and Worcester Cathedral |
| Andrew Lumsden | St John's College, Cambridge | 1981–1984 | Organist of Lichfield Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral |
| David Lumsden | Selwyn College and St John's College, Cambridge | 1948–1951 (Selwyn) 1951–1953 (St John's) | Organist of New College, Oxford and principal of the Royal Academy of Music |
| Sarah MacDonald | Robinson College, Cambridge | 1992–1995 | Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and of Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir |
| Richard Marlow | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 1958–1962 | Organist of Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Alexander Mason | Worcester College, Oxford | 1992-1995 | Organist of St Davids Cathedral |
| William Neil McKie | Worcester College, Oxford | 1921 | Organist of Westminster Abbey |
| Hugh John McLean | King's College, Cambridge | 1951–1955 | Dean, Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario |
| Andrew Millington | Downing College, Cambridge | 1971–1974 | Organist of Guildford Cathedral and Exeter Cathedral |
| Dudley Moore | Magdalen College, Oxford | 1955–1958 | Comedian |
| Herbert Murrill | Worcester College, Oxford | 1928–1931 | BBC Controller of Music |
| Martin Neary | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1958–1963 | Organist of Winchester Cathedral and Westminster Abbey |
| Andrew Nethsingha | St John's College, Cambridge | 1987–1990 | Organist of Truro Cathedral and Gloucester Cathedral, director of music at St John's College, Cambridge |
| Michael Nicholas | Jesus College, Oxford | 1957–1960 | Organist of Norwich Cathedral |
| James O'Donnell | Jesus College, Cambridge | 1979–1982 | Master of Music of Westminster Cathedral, organist of Westminster Abbey |
| Nicholas O'Neill | Magdalen College, Oxford | 1989–1992 | Composer, former organist of St George's Cathedral, Southwark, composer in residence for the Parliament Choir. |
| Boris Ord | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 1920 | Organist of King's College, Cambridge |
| Robin Orr | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 1929–1932 | Organist of St John's College, Cambridge |
| Harrison Oxley | Christ Church, Oxford | 1951–1954 | Organist of St Edmundsbury Cathedral |
| Andrew Parnell | Christ's College, Cambridge | 1972–1975 | Assistant Organist of St Albans Cathedral |
| Adrian Partington | King's College, Cambridge | 1978–1981 | Director of Music, Gloucester Cathedral |
| Ronald Edward Perrin | Christ Church, Oxford | 1949–1954 | Organist of Ripon Cathedral |
| Richard Popplewell | King's College, Cambridge | 1955–1956 | Organist of the Chapel Royal |
| Denys Pouncey | Queens' College, Cambridge | 1926-1928 | Organist of Wells Cathedral |
| Simon Preston | King's College, Cambridge | 1958–1961 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and Westminster Abbey |
| Jonathan Rees-Williams | New College, Oxford | 1969–1972 | Organist of Lichfield Cathedral and St George's Chapel, Windsor |
| Christopher Robinson | Christ Church, Oxford | 1955-1958 | Organist of Worcester Cathedral and St George's Chapel, Windsor, director of music of St John's College, Cambridge |
| Bernard Rose | St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 1935–1939 | Informator Choristarum of Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Wallace Michael Ross | Balliol College, Oxford | 1939 | Organist of Derby Cathedral |
| Brian Runnett | St John's College, Cambridge | 1960–1963 | Organist of Norwich Cathedral |
| John Sanders | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1952–1956 | Organist of Gloucester Cathedral |
| John Scott | St John's College, Cambridge | 1974–1978 | Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, director of music at St Thomas Church, New York |
| Richard Seal | Christ's College, Cambridge | | Organist of Salisbury Cathedral |
| Geoffrey Shaw | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1898–1901 | |
| Edward Shearmur | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 1984–1987 | |
| David Stancliffe | Trinity College, Oxford and Lincoln College, Oxford | 1961 | Anglican Bishop of Salisbury |
| Charles Villiers Stanford | Queens' College, Cambridge | 1870 | Organist and director of music, Trinity College, Cambridge; professor of music, University of Cambridge |
| Charles Hylton Stewart | Peterhouse, Cambridge | 1903 | Organist of Rochester Cathedral |
| Frederick Stocken | St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 1986-1989 | |
| Richard Tanner | Exeter College, Oxford | 1989–1992 | Organist of Blackburn Cathedral |
| Alan Thurlow | University of Sheffield | | Organist of Chichester Cathedral |
| Paul Trepte | New College, Oxford | 1972–1975 | Organist of St Edmundsbury Cathedral and Ely Cathedral |
| Thomas Trotter | King's College, Cambridge | 1976–1979 | Birmingham City Organist |
| Jonathan Vaughn | St John's College, Cambridge | 2000–2003 | Assistant organist of Wells Cathedral; associate director of music at Christ Church, Greenwich, USA |
| James Vivian | King's College, Cambridge | 1993–1997 | Director of Music at St George's Chapel, Windsor |
| Frederick William Wadely | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 1900–1903 | Organist of Carlisle Cathedral |
| Colin Walsh | Christ Church, Oxford | 1974–1978 | Organist of St Albans Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral |
| Mark Wardell | Royal Holloway College, London | | Assistant Organist at Chichester Cathedral |
| Sydney Watson | Keble College, Oxford | 1922–1925 | Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford |
| Geoffrey Webber | New College, Oxford | 1977–1980 | Director of Music of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge |
| Peter White | St John's College, Cambridge | 1956–1960 | Organist of Leicester Cathedral |
| William Whitehead | University College, Oxford | 1990–1993 | Sub-Organist of Rochester Cathedral |
| Allan Wicks | Christ Church, Oxford | 1941–1946 | Organist of Canterbury Cathedral |
| David Willcocks | King's College, Cambridge | 1939–1940, 1945–1947 | Organist of Salisbury Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral and King's College, Cambridge, director of the Royal College of Music |
| Mark Williams | Trinity College, Cambridge | 1997-2000 | Assistant Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, Director of Music, Jesus College, Cambridge, Informator Choristarum, Magdalen College, Oxford |
| John Scott Whiteley | Royal Holloway College, London | 1968-1971 | Organist Emeritus, York Minster |
| Charles Wood | Selwyn College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 1888–1889 (Selwyn) 1889–1894 (Gonville and Caius) | Professor of Music, University of Cambridge |
| Peter Wright | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 1973–1976 | Organist of Southwark Cathedral |