Peter Wright

Cathedral Organist who studied under Dame Gillian Wier and Flor Peeters. He has been a member of the Council of the Royal College of Organists and a long-serving patron of the NMSM.

Peter Wright was born in Hertfordshire. He was educated at Highgate School and then spent two years as Organ Exhibitioner at the Royal College of Music, studying with Richard Popplewell (Organ) and Angus Morrison (Piano) and gaining various prizes and diplomas. In 1973 he went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, as Organ Scholar, where he continued his organ studies with Dame Gillian Weir and with Flor Peeters in Belgium.

Following this Peter Wright became Sub-Organist at Guildford Cathedral and, in March 1989, succeeded Harry Bramma as Organist and Director of Music at Southwark Cathedral. Under his direction the Choir has recorded five CDs, undertaken three tours to the USA and several to the continent and broadcast regularly on television and radio, including recording the signature tune for Mr Bean for Thames Television. In 2001 it sang at the Three Choirs Concert of the St Albans International Organ Festival, and in August 2002 the choristers (both the Boys’ and Girls’ choirs) participated in a performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion with Trevor Pinnock at the Proms.

Peter Wright is much in demand as an organ recitalist and choral conductor, both here and abroad, and enjoys performing a wide and varied repertoire. He has recorded the first CD of the restored Lewis organ at Southwark for PRIORY which includes the complete published works of the French organist and composer, Augustin Barie. He was principal conductor of the Guildford Chamber Choir from 1984-1994, and of the Surrey Festival Choir from 1987-2001, and was for several years conductor at the annual Edington Festival. He has travelled widely in Europe and elsewhere as conductor and recitalist, including Japan, South Africa, USA, Bermuda, Australia and New Zealand. In 2000 he performed the complete organ works of J S Bach as part of the Monday lunchtime series of recitals at Southwark, and has recently given recitals in Paris at Notre-Dame and La Trinite.

In April 2000 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Guild of Church Musicians in recognition of his work at Southwark. Peter Wright has been a Patron of the North and Midlands School of Music since 1999. From 1997-2002 Peter Wright held the office of Honorary Secretary of the Royal College of Organists, afterwards becoming a Vice-President and retaining his role as Chief Examiner. He held the office of President from March 2005 until June 2008.