Simon Pearce

Simon Pearce was appointed Director of Music at St Davids Cathedral in January 2022, having previously held the post of Assistant Director of Music in 1998. Simon plays the organ for the majority of the choral services at the Cathedral. He has accompanied the Cathedral Choir for several national radio broadcasts, including live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and 4 and has acted as accompanist for five of the Cathedral Choir’s recent CD recordings. In addition, he has toured with them to the USA, Australia, Holland, Spain, France, Bulgaria, Germany and Italy. In 2011 he held an interregnum post of Acting Organist and Master of the Choristers at the Cathedral. Simon is the Director of the Cathedral’s voluntary adult Choir, the Cathedral Singers. In 2004 the choir completed their first CD recording and since then, they have toured extensively through the UK singing services and concerts. He is also the Assistant Conductor of the St Davids Cathedral Festival Chorus.

Simon directs the vocal training and development of all the choristers in the Cathedral including the Cathedral’s Junior Choir and the school choir of Ysgol Bro Dewi, the local primary school in St Davids. He is also Artistic Director of the annual St Davids Cathedral Music Festival.

Prior to his arrival in St Davids, Simon completed his PGCE in Music at the University of Ripon and York St John. He was a chorister at Wakefield Cathedral and studied music at Hull University where he was awarded the Sir Thomas Beecham Scholarship and subsequently became organ scholar of Ripon Cathedral where he studied with Kerry Beaumont. His organ tutors have included John Scott Whiteley, Simon Lindley, David Sanger and Margaret Phillips. In 2005 Simon was awarded his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.

Simon is actively involved with other musical events across Pembrokeshire. Since 2011 he has been the Chairman of the West Wales Royal School of Church Music committee having served previously as the Education and Training Officer for 8 years. Simon has directed several RSCM courses and area Festivals and he is responsible for co-ordinating the Voice for life Examinations and preparing the Cathedral choristers for their RCSM award examinations.

In 2013, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cathedral music Simon was awarded the The Archbishop of Wales’ Award in Church Music (A.W.A.C.M.).

Every summer, Simon acts as guest conductor to the Bluebird Singers, a choir based in Yorkshire who sing services and concerts in Cathedrals and churches and have performed extensively throughout the UK.

Role: 
Director of Music
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Phone number: 
01437 720202
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