Mark Williams, Organ Recital
Mark Williams has been Informator Choristarum, Organist and Tutorial Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford since January 2017. Magdalen College is the only institution to retain the ancient title of Informator Choristarum for its Director of Music, and holders of the post since the College’s foundation in 1458 include the composers John Sheppard, Daniel Purcell and Bernard Rose, and organists Sir John Stainer and Sir William McKie. Under his leadership, the Choir introduced the first female Academical Clerks in its history and, in 2027, the Choir will welcome girls as choristers. For five years, Mark oversaw a project to replace the Chapel’s organ with a new four-manual instrument by Hermann Eule Orgelbau of Bautzen, Germany, which was unveiled to wide acclaim in January 2023. Mark studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was for six years Assistant Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral and Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral School. Between 2009 and 2016, he held the post of Director of Music, College Lecturer and Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Mark has appeared as organist, harpsichordist and conductor internationally and on disc with many of the UK’s leading ensembles, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cambridge Singers, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The King’s Consort, The Sixteen, Arcangelo, Retrospect Ensemble, and the Gabrieli Consort and Players. As a conductor he has worked with the Britten Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and he is the Principal Guest Conductor of the City of London Choir. Mark has given solo recitals, judged competitions and led masterclasses in choral training, singing and organ performance in the UK, the USA, Asia and Africa. He appears on over 40 discs and a number of soundtracks. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, he is a Freeman of the City of London, and a trustee of a number of charities focused on music education around the world. Since 2013, Mark has been the Artistic Director of the William Byrd Festival, which takes place annually in Portland, Oregon. He has appeared as a broadcaster on the BBC and visiting speaker and lecturer in the UK and Europe. He has worked with pop groups, crossover artists and appeared as conductor and organist on major Hollywood film scores, and he has acted as musical consultant for various television programmes, including the ITV crime drama, Endeavour.
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Mark Williams will play the following pieces:
Introduction and Passacaglia Sir Walter Alcock (1861-1947)
Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Fantasia in C major William Byrd (1540-1623)
Light, Revealing (Lumen ad revelationem gentium) Grace-Evangeline Mason (b. 1994)
Fantaisie in A César Franck (1822-1890)
Handel in the Strand ‘Clog Dance’ Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
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Mark Williams has been Informator Choristarum, Organist and Tutorial Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford since January 2017. Magdalen College is the only institution to retain the ancient title of Informator Choristarum for its Director of Music, and holders of the post since the College’s foundation in 1458 include the composers John Sheppard, Daniel Purcell and Bernard Rose, and organists Sir John Stainer and Sir William McKie. Under his leadership, the Choir introduced the first female Academical Clerks in its history and, in 2027, the Choir will welcome girls as choristers. For five years, Mark oversaw a project to replace the Chapel’s organ with a new four-manual instrument by Hermann Eule Orgelbau of Bautzen, Germany, which was unveiled to wide acclaim in January 2023. Mark studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was for six years Assistant Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral and Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral School. Between 2009 and 2016, he held the post of Director of Music, College Lecturer and Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Mark has appeared as organist, harpsichordist and conductor internationally and on disc with many of the UK’s leading ensembles, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cambridge Singers, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The King’s Consort, The Sixteen, Arcangelo, Retrospect Ensemble, and the Gabrieli Consort and Players. As a conductor he has worked with the Britten Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and he is the Principal Guest Conductor of the City of London Choir. Mark has given solo recitals, judged competitions and led masterclasses in choral training, singing and organ performance in the UK, the USA, Asia and Africa. He appears on over 40 discs and a number of soundtracks. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, he is a Freeman of the City of London, and a trustee of a number of charities focused on music education around the world. Since 2013, Mark has been the Artistic Director of the William Byrd Festival, which takes place annually in Portland, Oregon. He has appeared as a broadcaster on the BBC and visiting speaker and lecturer in the UK and Europe. He has worked with pop groups, crossover artists and appeared as conductor and organist on major Hollywood film scores, and he has acted as musical consultant for various television programmes, including the ITV crime drama, Endeavour.
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Mark Williams will play the following pieces:
Introduction and Passacaglia Sir Walter Alcock (1861-1947)
Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Fantasia in C major William Byrd (1540-1623)
Light, Revealing (Lumen ad revelationem gentium) Grace-Evangeline Mason (b. 1994)
Fantaisie in A César Franck (1822-1890)
Handel in the Strand ‘Clog Dance’ Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
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