Peter Holder, Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey, has been appointed Organist and Official Student (Tutorial Fellow) at Christ Church, Oxford. He will take up his new post in the autumn.
In his current role, Peter has been the chief musical assistant to the Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey, playing the organ for the Abbey’s daily services and accompanying the Abbey Choir in recordings and concerts. He also serves as deputy director of the Choir and assists in training the choristers.
Peter served as principal organist at the State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II and last year's Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen, for which he was recently made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music. Fellowship is an honour reserved for alumni of the Academy, and Peter was one of just four musicians recognised in this way in 2024.
The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, said:
'We have been very fortunate to have enjoyed Peter’s company and to have benefitted from his wonderful music-making. At any stage in the Abbey’s remarkable history, Peter would have been a distinguished Sub-Organist, but he has been here when the eyes of the world were on us and when we had to express the sorrows and joys of nation and Commonwealth. Worship is our primary duty, and music is our pulse. In daily services, and in a State Funeral and a Coronation, Peter has served us all with style and grace. He is also a much-loved member of the Abbey community, and we will miss him. Christ Church has chosen well. We know Peter, College and Cathedral will thrive, and we will watch with pride and pleasure.'
The Very Reverend Professor Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, said:
'Peter is an outstanding musician and keyboard player and we are very fortunate to have recruited him to Christ Church. Peter is well known to a global audience, having played at the Abbey both the funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Peter also has wide ranging experience in working with children and directing choirs and so is ideally suited to this role, leading our world class Cathedral Choir. We are enormously excited to welcome him to Christ Church.'
Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey, said:
'Many congratulations to Peter on his magnificent achievement in being appointed to Christ Church, Oxford. There are very few Church musicians who are appointed to such a prestigious position as their first post in charge of a choir; this is a mark of the great esteem in which Peter is held. Peter has made a remarkable contribution to the great tradition of music-making at Westminster Abbey. He has been a popular, kind and wise colleague; he will be greatly missed here by us all. We will never forget his exceptional organ playing. Personally, I owe Peter a great debt of gratitude for all the support he has given me during my first few terms at the Abbey. I wish him every possible success in Oxford and I hope that he and Megan will be extremely happy there.'
Commenting on his appointment, Peter Holder said:
'I am hugely excited to take up the post of Organist and Official Student at Christ Church, Oxford. In doing so, I inherit an exceptional legacy of musical distinction; the opportunity to continue the work of such esteemed predecessors is inspiring. At Westminster Abbey I leave behind friends and colleagues whose collective talents and collegiality have made the day-to-day extraordinary and special. I will treasure countless memories from the past seven years as Sub-Organist and much look forward to those that lie ahead at Oxford.'
More about Peter Holder
Having served for two years as Organ Scholar of Westminster Abbey, Peter was Sub-Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral between 2014 and 2017. As a recitalist, Peter performs in cathedrals and concert halls across the world. He made his BBC Proms solo debut at the 2019 First Night of the Proms performing Janáček’s Glagolitic Massand returned in the 2021 season to perform a solo organ recital as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150thanniversary celebrations.Peter’s solo recording, Bach ist der Vater, wir sind die Buben, produced at Neresheim Abbey, has garnered much praise. He regularly broadcasts for BBC Radio and Television and is an organ tutor at the Royal Academy of Music.
Further reading
Music at Westminster Abbey
FAQs
John Taverner became the first Organist at Christ Church in 1526 marking the beginning of nearly 500 years of organ music at the Cathedral.
Which composer was appointed as the first organist at Christ Church Oxford? ›
First among the notable organists of Christ Church Cathedral is the Renaissance composer John Taverner, who was appointed as the first organist by Wolsey in 1526.
Who is the sub organist in Westminster Abbey? ›
In his role as Sub-Organist Peter Holder is the chief musical assistant to the Organist and Master of the Choristers, playing the organ for the Abbey's daily services and accompanying the Abbey Choir in recordings and concerts.
Is Christ Church Catholic or Anglican? ›
Christ Church Cathedral, more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Irish: Ardeaglais Theampall Chríost), is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the (Anglican) Church of Ireland.
Who is the Organist at Christ Church? ›
We are very pleased to share that Academy alum Peter Holder has been appointed as Organist at Christ Church, Oxford.
Was Harry Potter filmed at Christ Church Oxford? ›
Christ Church College served as filming locations for various aspects of the films, including Bodley Staircase and the college cloisters, which appeared in the first two Harry Potter films. Another important connection that Christ Church College has to the Harry Potter films is the dining hall.
Which prime ministers went to Christ Church Oxford? ›
British Prime Ministers
| NAME | COLLEGE | TERMS AS PRIME MINISTER |
|---|
| Marquess of Salisbury (1839-1903) | Christ Church | Jun 1895-Jul 1902 |
| Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929) | Christ Church | Mar 1894-Jun 1895 |
| William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898) | Christ Church | Dec 1868-Feb 1874 |
| Apr 1880-Jun 1885 |
37 more rowsJohann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was indeed an outstanding organist and one of the most important composers of the Baroque era. Bach held several important positions as a church musician, including his longest tenure as the cantor at the St.
Do Westminster choir get paid? ›
Yes. On joining the full choir in Year 8, each chorister will receive a scholarship of £2,500 per annum. A sum of £1,500 will be paid each year, with the remaining £1,000 paid as a lump sum when a chorister leaves the choir at the end of Year 12.
“After our new singers have demonstrated various skills, they gain different coloured ribbons on their badges. After the first badge, with a light blue ribbon, our choristers will work towards their dark blue, red and then golden ribbons. “They gain a terrific sense of achievement from the progress they make.”
Who is the Organist of the Westminster Abbey today? ›
Appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers in January 2023, Andrew Nethsingha is the Abbey's director of music and principal conductor of the Abbey Choir.
Why is Christ Church so famous? ›
Christ Church has a distinguished history and its special character is inseparable from that history. It is unique among Oxford colleges in that it also contains the Cathedral of the Oxford diocese, which doubles as the college chapel.
Who is buried in Christ Church Cathedral? ›
Strongbow, or Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare, was buried in 1176 in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin 'within sight of the hallowed cross'. So said Gerald of Wales, yet nothing is known of Strongbow's tomb before it was damaged by the collapse of the cathedral's south wall in 1562.
Who is buried in Christ Church Cathedral Oxford? ›
Charles I made his headquarters in Oxford during the war and many leading Cavalier soldiers were brought to the cathedral for burial. Other notable memorials include that of Robert King (d. 1557), the last abbot of Osney, who later became the first Bishop of Oxford. A grave slab to philosopher John Locke (d.
What is the history at Christ Church Oxford? ›
Christ Church was founded in 1546, and there had been a college here since 1525, but prior to the Dissolution of the monasteries, the site was occupied by a priory dedicated to the memory of St Frideswide, the patron saint of both university and city.
What has been filmed at Christ Church Oxford? ›
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 20012h 32mPG. 7.6 (860K) Rate. ...
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 20022h 41mPG. ...
- The Golden Compass. 20071h 53mPG-13. ...
- Heaven's Gate. 19803h 39mR. ...
- Brideshead Revisited. 1981TV-14. ...
- The History Boys. 20061h 49mR. ...
- Brideshead Revisited. 20082h 13mPG-13. ...
- Heavens Above! 19631h 45mNot Rated.
The organ contains 235 ranks of pipes, totaling 13,389 pipes and on this basis may be considered to be the largest church organ in the United States. There are 147 independent speaking stops, with twenty-two borrowed stops and three pedal extensions which makes a grand total of 172 speaking stops.
