Conductor: Andrew Reid (born ) From: 2026-
Andrew’s musical career started as a village church chorister in Kent at age 8. Piano and organ lessons followed, together with musical opportunities at The Judd School in Tonbridge and nearby churches and community groups. After ‘A’ levels he completed a gap year organ scholarship at St Matthew’s, Church, Northampton before becoming Organ Scholar and taking a Music degree at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. Upon graduating he gave undergraduate supervisions in harmony & counterpoint, analysis, aural and keyboard skills, and was awarded an MPhil for work on the use of keys in the Bach Cantatas. Whilst at Cambridge he took the choir of St Catharine’s on tour to the USA, and studied the organ with David Sanger and Peter Hurford, performing the complete organ works of JS Bach in one 25-hour recital.
In 1995, Andrew became Organ Scholar at Westminster Cathedral. Following a short period assisting at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, he returned to Westminster as Assistant Master of Music, accompanying the Cathedral Choir on critically acclaimed recordings of music by Janá?ek, Kodály, MacMillan, Vierne and Widor for the Hyperion label. He moved to Westminster Abbey as Sub Organist in 2000, where his principal role involved playing for the daily services and assisting in directing the choir. While in London he toured Europe, the USA, Brazil and the Far East in his role accompanying the two choirs, and played for the funerals of Cardinal Basil Hume and HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Andrew was appointed Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral in 2004. During his time a new group of younger girl choristers was set up, and the King’s School Junior Department was created, widening chorister access. The Choir sang Christmas Eucharists on BBC1 as well as Choral Evensong on BBC Radio 3, and made several recordings. In 2012, he became Director of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), overseeing its missional development and financial and organisational stability. He directed courses, festivals and masterclasses in Australasia, Europe, South Africa and the USA, as well as across the UK.
From 2017 to 2022, Andrew served as Managing Director of Harrison & Harrison Organ Builders in Durham, during which period the firm built and restored organs in Adelaide St Peter’s, Canterbury, Edinburgh St Mary’s Episcopal, Liverpool Metropolitan and Salisbury Cathedrals, York Minster, and Christ Church, Greenwich, Connecticut. He undertook a year’s musical work at Durham Cathedral, before relocating with his family to Cambridge in 2022, becoming Director of Music at Little St Mary’s Church, and teaching extensively.
His musical career has included directing several major choral and orchestral works with the Northampton Bach Choir and Peterborough Cathedral Choir and Festival Chorus, alongside Charivari Agréable, His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, Orchestra da Camera and the Black Dyke Band. He has given organ recitals on four continents, and played continuo organ in a Proms Premiere and the Edinburgh Festival. He has been involved in liturgical remodelling, music editing, writing articles, composition and concert programming, as well as chairing the Assistant Cathedral Organists.
Central to Andrew’s life is his love of music-making. He is an educator and communicator who enjoys working with people and developing musicians young and old, while improving his own skills. He has come to Hereford to do all these things, and is looking forward to the musical opportunities the Choral Society, Cathedral Choir and Three Choirs Festival afford. Accordingly he is delighted to direct tonight’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, as the Choral Society embarks on the latest chapter of its illustrious journey.
Please click here for details of previous conductors of Hereford Choral Society.
