Successes of the College's Organists

John Challenger, currently Assistant Organist at St John’s College, Cambridge, has recently been appointed to the position of Assistant Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral.  John’s musical career began as a Chorister at Hereford Cathedral. Following Hereford, he was Organ Scholar of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and St John’s College, Cambridge, where he studied as an undergraduate.

John says: ‘Although I shall be very sad to be leaving the Chapel community of St John’s, I am very much looking forward to the new and exciting challenges ahead, not least accompanying and conducting Salisbury Cathedral’s two famous choirs, and being involved in the Southern Cathedrals Festival’.

Freddie James, currently Organ Scholar and undergraduate at St John’s College, Cambridge, has recently been successful in the examinations for Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO), receiving the highest marks in all the components of the diploma and, as a result, being awarded the Limpus, Frederick Shinn, Durrant , Harding and Samuel Baker Prizes.

Freddie began his musical education at Southwark Cathedral where he was a Chorister for seven years. He was a Music Scholar at Westminster School, during which time he was Organ Scholar at Croydon Minster.   After leaving Westminster School, he spent a year studying organ at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Jacques van Oortmerssen, and was Assistant Organist of the Nicolaaskerk, Amsterdam.