Meet our Conductor & Director of Music - Simon Lumby
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Simon is a conductor, tenor, organist, and pianist of some noted resourcefulness. In an time of ever-increasing specialisation, Simon appreciates being thought of as something of a polymath, bringing a wide range of experience, inspirations and influences to his music-making.
Simon was born in Birmingham and studied organ with Andrew Fletcher before moving to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester having been a junior student at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1993, Simon was awarded First Prize in the International Young Organist Competition, held in Plymouth for his performance of Bach First Trio Sonata and ‘Litanies’ by Jehan Alain. Organ recitals have included the Cathedrals of St Paul’s London, Hereford, Leicester, Coventry, Birmingham Oratory, Salisbury, Lichfield and Liverpool, the Abbeys of Westminster and Ampleforth, St. Giles’ Cripplegate, and St. Bride’s Fleet Street. Other concerts of note have included the opening recital of the Harrison Organ at the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield and several Battle of the Organs with the late and great flamboyant American virtuoso, Carlo Curley. Simon has been featured on both Classic FM and Radio 3. Simon was ordained in the Church of England and spent many happy years as Parish Priest of Saint Aidan’s in Leicester (a time during which the congregation increased by a surprising 200%). Also during these years, he recorded his first CD (‘Loud Organs his glory…’) which met with both popular and critical acclaim and went on to record a series of videos with Shea Lolin featuring, among other instruments, the new organ put into Saint Aidan’s Church. One such video, having been seen by more than 75,000 people was considered to have ‘gone viral’! Simon enjoys recording and is excited to be now able to publish these on his YouTube Channel. Simon is in demand as a singer and choral conductor. As a tenor soloist, he has sung with most of the major symphony orchestras in the UK including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Northern Chamber Orchestra and the Manchester Camerata. He has also appeared with some of the leading period instrument ensembles including the English Concert and most recently (with the Leicestershire Chorale conducted by Tom Williams), Fretwork. He is in demand as a choral conductor throughout the East Midlands and beyond and also maintains a busy teaching practice in Leicester and Nottingham. Future plans include another series of organ videos (the six Trio Sonatas of J.S. Bach) as well as much concert making in and around his home city of Nottingham. In his limited spare time Simon pursues a wide range of other interests. He is a keen traveller and has spent much time in continental Europe. His love and study of French 20th century sacred, vocal and organ music has led him to be a keen student of the French language while engaging in more study in this area. |
Past
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2012-2015 Beth Williams
2002-2012 David Necklen |