Saint Cecilia Singers

Conductor

Ashley Grote

We are privileged to welcome as our new conductor, Ashley Grote, who was recently appointed Assistant Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral. He was previously Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey. His current duties include playing  the organ for the Cathedral's principal services, assisting in the running of the Cathedral choir and the direction of the Cathedral's flourishing youth choir.

Born in 1982, Ashley was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge where he began organ lessons with David Goode. He was subsequently top music scholar at Uppingham School and studied the organ with Daniel Phillips and James Hills. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 2001, winning two prizes. After a year as Organ Scholar at St George's Cathedral, Cape Town, Ashley returned to Cambridge to study for a degree in music. As Organ Scholar at King's, he performed worldwide with the famous Chapel Choir in numerous tours, concerts and broadcasts, including the annual 'Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols'. He was also Assistant Conductor for the Cambridge University Musical Society orchestras.

In demand as a recitalist, Ashley has performed throughout the UK and Europe, with recent engagements including concerts in Germany, Finland and the 2007 Westminster Abbey Summer Organ Festival. He studies in London with Nicolas Kynaston. Ashley was a prize winner at the Dublin International Organ in 2005, a semi-finalist in the St Albans International Organ Competition in 2007, and has held the prestigious W.T.Best scholarship from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. His playing was described recently as 'sensitive' and 'expressive' (The Sunday Telegraph). Ashley is also Organist for the Edington Festival of Music within the Liturgy which takes place every August. Ashley has his own website and for further information about him and his busy schedule click on to:- www.ashleygrote.org.uk

Ashley's first concert with the Singers will be at St Mary's Church, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham and we look forward to an exciting season of music making under his direction.