Our music director

Robin Walker, DipRAM, PPDip, BMus(Perf), LRAM.

Born in Lancashire Robin began his musical education as a chorister at Ripon Cathedral. He continued his studies at Bradfield College, Berkshire, before a year after A-levels at Blackburn Cathedral as Organ Scholar and as a teaching assistant in the music department of Queen Elizabeth Grammar School before entering the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in 1994. There he received his Licentiate in organ studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in 1998, studying with David Titterington. He followed this with the Diploma of Postgraduate Performance with Distinction in organ in 2000 and awarded the Academy's highest prize, the Diploma of the Royal Academy, awarded for an outstanding final recital.

While at the Academy, Robin won three major prizes: the Thomas Armstrong Prize for choral conducting; the Irene Burcher Memorial Prize for work in church music; and the Henry Richards Prize for a solo organ recital. In 1999, he was awarded a Laura Ashley Foundation scholarship. He performed in masterclasses with Dame Gillian Weir, Marie-Claire Alain, Daniel Roth, Lionel Rogg, Monserrat Torrent and many of the world’s leading organists. During his years at the RAM, he also held outside posts as assistant conductor of the Uxbridge Choral Society and, for five years, as organist at Hinde Street Methodist Church in Marylebone.

After graduating, Robin became Director of Music at St Giles-in-the-Fields Church, Central London, where he conducted the professional choir and started the regular Friday lunchtime recital series. He was also involved in planning the restoration of the historic eighteenth century organ, work for which should be complete in Spring 2007.

Robin enjoys a varied musical career as conductor, recitalist, accompanist and teacher in the UK and Europe. He has given recitals at St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St John’s Smith Square and many other leading venues in London. Further afield he has performed in Bergen – Norway, Bonn Basilica – Germany, Budapest Cathedral – Hungary, Luxembourg Protestant church, and in March 2007 will give a recital in Athens – Greece.

In recent years, Robin has conducted Uxbridge Choral Society, City University Chamber Choir, Stanmore Choral Society and Horsley Choral Society. He sings professionally in the choir of St Margaret Pattens, London, and works as a freelance accompanist and repetiteur.

For further information, visit Robin's website.