Southwell Minster Choir Personnel

Paul Hale was organ scholar of New College, Oxford and later assistant organist of Rochester Cathedral before arriving in Southwell as cathedral organist (Rector Chori is Southwell’s ancient term) in April 1989.

In addition to his varied cathedral duties he is diocesan organ adviser to Southwell and Lincoln (South), conductor of the Nottingham Bach Choir, an executive committee member and examiner for the Royal College of Organists, president of the East Midlands Choirs Charitable Trust, and a Trustee of the Percy Whitlock Trust. He is in national demand as an organ consultant, most recently for Repton and King's Lynn Parish Churches, for the DeMontfort Hall in Leicester, Bridlington Priory, Leicester Cathedral and Glasgow University. He also designed the tonal schemes for the organs in the cathedrals of Rochester, Birmingham and Southwell.

As a player and choral conductor he has performed in all the major venues in England and Europe (including Rome) and the USA, as well as on all major UK television and radio channels. He was also a consultant and author of twenty-three articles for the second edition of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, responsible for 20th century organists. His recent CDs (both with his cathedral choir and also solo organ) have received critical acclaim in the national press including Gramophone.

Paul Hale has reviewed music and recordings for numerous publications including BBC Radio 3's Record Review, but is probably best known for his reviews of some 2,000 recordings over twenty years in the international journal of the IAO, Organists' Review, of which he was editor from 1992 to 2005.

In 1999 he was honoured by being elected President of the Cathedral Organists' Association.

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Simon Bell was appointed Assistant Organist of Southwell Minster in April 2003, having previously held posts at Westminster Abbey and St Albans Cathedral. During his time at Westminster he played at a number of important civic and state occasions, most notably the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Simon was educated at Queen’s College, Taunton and Leeds University where he graduated with first class honours. During his time at Leeds he was director of the University Chamber Choir, and held the University’s Organ Scholarship. In addition, he holds a Master of Music degree in Advanced Performance from the Royal College of Music. In 1997 Simon won the coveted Limpus prize for the highest marks in the FRCO diploma examination, and was presented with a Silver Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He is the third successive member of his family to hold this diploma.

At Southwell Minster, Simon is responsible for directing the Minster Girls’ Choir and the Minster Chorale, the Minster’s Voluntary Choir, in addition to playing for the many choral services. He also maintains a busy freelance career in the area, not least as musical director of Grantham Choral Society, and accompanist to Nottingham Harmonic Society.

As a solo recitalist, Simon has played in venues throughout the country, and has broadcast for radio and television. He was a prizewinner in the St Albans International Organ Competition Organ Competition in both 2001 and 2005. Engagements this year include recitals at Westminster Abbey, and the Cathedrals of Blackburn, Chester, Hereford and Bristol, as well as at Southwell. Recently, a second solo CD recording has been released by Amemptos records. Simon is a former holder of the prestigious W T Best memorial organ scholarship, awarded triennially by the Worshipful Company of Musicians, which enabled three years of study with the celebrated Dutch organist Ben van Oosten.

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