Dr Philip Moore begins term as President of Royal College of Organists

Organist, composer and conductor Dr Philip Moore begins his term as President of the Royal College of Organists (RCO) on 1 July 2015.

Dr Moore began his musical education at the Royal College of Music where he studied organ, piano, composition and conducting. He also holds a Bachelor in Music degree from Durham University.

His career has since led him through a succession of the UK's most respected choral institutions, where he has built on his expertise in the great cathedral performance traditions.

During his student years he was Organist and Choirmaster at St Gabriel's Church, Cricklewood, and on graduating in 1965 he was appointed to the music staff at Eton College.

In 1968 he moved to become Assistant Organist at Canterbury Cathedral, and in 1974 he succeeded Dr Barry Rose as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral.

In 1983 he succeeded Dr Francis Jackson as Organist and Master of Music at York Minster, a post he held until 2008. He was also conductor of the York Musical Society for 27 years and performed many large scale oratorios and cantatas, as well as numerous orchestral works.
On his retirement, he was awarded the Order of St William, an honour in the gift of the Archbishop of York. In January 2014 he was given an honorary doctorate from the University of York.

Philip has composed extensively for the church. In addition there are many works for the organ, as well as works for chamber ensembles. There are several cantatas for choir and orchestra and a large scale organ concerto.

Since retiring from the Minster he has devoted much of his time to composition. He gives occasional recitals as well as acting as a piano accompanist. He is now organist of his local church, St Michael’s Barton le Street, but also plays for services in many other local churches.

Dr Moore said: “Serving as President of the College is a great honour, and I am enormously proud to be following a long line of wonderful past presidents, not least my immediate predecessor Catherine Ennis.

“Catherine’s vibrant advocacy and leadership of the College throughout the period of its 150th anniversary celebrations has been an inspiration to us all.

“The success of those celebrations and the groundswell of goodwill they revealed have created a wonderful platform on which we are all now determined to build.

“I am looking forward very much to what I know are going to be an exciting and dynamic couple of years for the College.”

Dr Moore will serve as President until 30 June 2017.