Simon Bell - Accompanist

Simon Bell is Assistant Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral.  A graduate of Leeds University and the Royal College of Music, he has held posts at Southwell Minster, Westminster Abbey and St Albans Cathedral.  At Westminster, he played at numerous state occasions, including the funeral of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

During his time at Southwell, Simon founded the Minster Girls’ Choir, and also directed the Cathedral’s voluntary choir, the Minster Chorale.  In addition, he accompanied the Cathedral choir in daily services, and also on tour, and in broadcasts and recordings, also recording two solo CDs.  Simon has worked extensively with amateur choral ensembles; he was Musical Director of Grantham Choral Society (2006-8) and the Lincoln Chorale (2003-6) and also Accompanist to Nottingham Harmonic Society (2007-8), Luton Choral Society (1999-2001) and St Albans Bach Choir (1998-2000).

Simon was a prizewinner at the coveted St Albans International Organ Festival in 2001 and 2005, and also won the Limpus Prize in the FRCO examinations in 1997.  He is a former holder of the W T Best memorial Organ Scholarship, awarded by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, and studied the organ with Gordon Stewart, Margaret Phillips and Ben van Oosten.  He maintains a busy schedule of solo organ recitals; highlights this year have included recitals at Westminster Abbey, Durham Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral.