Drew Cantrill-Fenwick
Drew is one of the UK’s most experienced and versatile church musicians. His career has taken him to three continents, working in schools, churches and cathedrals, and he has appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious venues as conductor and organist. He is a Fellow, prize-winner and former councillor of the RCO, a major contributor to iRCO, the College’s online learning platform, and Director of the RCO Summer Course.
He is currently Director of Music at St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle, where he is responsible for the historic 4-manual Lewis-Binns organ.
William Dore
William has had a wealth of teaching experience on piano, organ and harpsichord spanning over 35 years, teaching a range of students from primary school age to more mature adults. His successes have included a 100% pass rate in ABRSM exams, performance diplomas and organ scholarships to top universities and cathedrals.
William has worked for the Dr Martin Clarke Young Organist Scholarship Trust and is an accredited teacher for the Royal College of Organists where he gives frequent masterclasses in various aspects of organ playing, particularly within the Liturgy.
Claire Hobbs
Claire Hobbs was organ scholar at St John’s College, Oxford before postgraduate study at the RNCM and Geneva Conservatoire, where she won the Prix Otto Barblan for performance. After positions as Organist of Holy Trinity Geneva, Assistant Organist at Bristol Cathedral and Organist at Clifton
Cathedral, she retrained as a music therapist at GSMD, subsequently working in the NHS and education. With extensive experience in teaching both the piano and the organ, Claire is happy to work with all standards, taking a holistic approach to teaching and performance skills. She continues
to perform as a recitalist, with recent recitals including Great St Mary’s Cambridge, Bristol Cathedral, St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol. Claire is also an ABRSM examiner and contributes regularly to the Organists’ Review.
Jeffrey Makinson
Jeffrey Makinson is Organist and Assistant Director of Music at Lincoln Cathedral. He is also an accredited teacher for the Royal College of Organists Academy and Music Director of Beverley Chamber Choir.
As an organist, Jeffrey has performed across Europe and North America. In the United Kingdom, he has given concerts at most of the major cathedrals, abbeys, collegiate chapels, churches and concert halls, including numerous recitals at Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St. Paul’s Cathedral and King’s College, Cambridge.
Jeffrey is regularly an examiner for the Royal College of Organists. He has also taught on numerous ‘Royal College of Organists’ and ‘Oundle for Organists’ courses.
Jeffrey works extensively for the BBC. As an orchestral musician, he has worked alongside some of the country’s leading ensembles.
Anne Marsden Thomas
Anne Marsden Thomas is an organist, organ teacher and author of 20 books.
Anne founded St. Giles International Organ School in 1992 and directed it until the Royal College of Organists (RCO) adopted it in 2012. The RCO employed her as Head and Senior Teacher of the organ school until 2016; during this time she increased the number of RCO accredited teachers from nine to twenty-three, and, when she left, some 250 students were taking individual tuition with RCO accredited teachers. From 1996 to 2016 she directed this annual residential summer course, first for the Royal School of Church Music and from 2008 for the Royal College of Organists.
Anne has been Director of Music at St. Giles Cripplegate Church, City of London, since 1982.
Frederick Stocken
Frederick Stocken is an organist and composer. He has been the recipient of some seventeen commissions ranging from a symphony for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for the Southern Cathedrals Festival. He won three prizes at FRCO and was Organist of St George’s Cathedral, London, for a decade. He has given many recitals in leading venues, including St John’s Smith Square. He is also the author of various tutor books, including co-author of The New Oxford Organ Method. He was Organ Scholar of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and his PhD is from the University of Manchester.