DR MICHAEL NICHOLAS M.A, HON. D. MUS, FRCO (CHM)
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

Michael Nicholas was Organ Scholar of Jesus College, Oxford, then Organist of Louth Parish Church and St Matthew's Church, Northampton, before becoming Organist and Master of the Choristers of Norwich Cathedral in 1971. Here over a period of twenty-three years he built up the reputation of the Cathedral Choir, in eleven foreign tours, in many LP and CD recordings and in regular broadcasts on radio and TV, but above all in the daily services in the cathedral. He was joint founder and artistic director of the Norwich Festival of Contemporary Church Music, for which many new works were composed and given their first performances by the Cathedral Choir. He was also a lecturer in music at the University of East Anglia, conductor of the Norwich Philharmonic Chorus and board member of and several times chorus-master for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. In 1994 he moved to London to take up the new post of Chief Executive of the Royal College of Organists and implemented much modernisation of the College's procedures and activities. He left after three years to pursue freelance activities, becoming in 1999 Director of Music at the civic church of St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich. Here he runs three choirs and some thirty concerts a year. He is also busy with work as organist, lecturer, composer and examiner. He has wide experience of the world of choirs and the organ, having been for various periods on the boards or Councils of the RSCM, RCO, the Church Music Society and the St Albans International Festival. He is a Vice-President of The Organ Club and was President of the Cathedral Organists Association from 1975 to 1977.

WILLIAM SAUNDERS B MUS(HONS) ARCO
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

William is currently Assistant Director of Music at Ipswich School and Assistant Director of Music at St Mary-le-Tower Civic Church, Ipswich. During his education at Thomas Mills School, Framlingham, Suffolk he won the Chamber Music Ensemble Class in the National Festival of Music for Youth. Following this he was awarded the Associateship diploma of the Royal College of Organists before moving to Sheffield to take up a place at Sheffield University where he graduated with first class honours in July 2003. During his time in Sheffield he was Organ Scholar at Sheffield Cathedral, Sheffield University and St John's Church, Ranmoor. He is an experienced recitalist and accompanist he has played at many distinguished venues in this country and abroad including the Cambridge Summer Music Festival and Oundle International Festival. In 2007 he recorded a CD of Romantic English organ music for Regent Records at St Mary's Redcliffe, Bristol which is available from all good record shops. In the May edition of Organists Review it was given Editor's Choice - "William's playing is quite astounding: musicality, flawless technique and mind-boggling organ management" He has just released his second CD which was recorded on the renovated instrument of St Mary-le-Tower Church, Ipswich. This year's recitals include Blackburn Cathedral, Brentwood Cathedral, Hexham Abbey, Lichfield Cathedral, Norwich Cathedral, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, St Stephen's Walbrook and an organ recital tour to Bremen, Hamburg and Plon. To find out more about William visit his website - www.william-saunders.net

NICK FREESTONE
JUNIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR

Nicholas Freestone began his musical education at the age of 5 when he chose to learn the piano. He took up the French horn three years later, and within the past year has gained Grade 8 with Distinction on both of these instruments. He is in a large variety of musical ensembles, including Ipswich School's Symphony Orchestra, Wind Quintet, Big Band, Piano Trio, School Choir and Chapel Choir. He is Co-Principal Horn in the South Suffolk Youth Orchestra and has been a member of the Suffolk Youth Orchestra for the past three years. Nicholas also enjoys composing – he was a winner in the Philharmonia’s Groove Search competition, having his piece recorded at Abbey Road Studios. He more recently conducted the première performance of his piece Le Pont at the Ipswich School Spring Concert at Snape Maltings. Nicholas began to learn the organ in 2004, before joining the Choir of St Mary le Tower in September 2006. A year later he became Junior Organ Scholar. He has been very fortunate to play many fine organs in this time, including several cathedrals. He took part in a BBC Songs of Praise programme about the organ, broadcast in January 2008.

LIS ROLLINSON
CHOIR ASSISTANT and LIBRARIAN