Introducing our Organ Scholar

We’re really looking forward to welcoming Joshua Simões as our organ scholar at this year’s Charles Wood Festival.

Joshua began his musical education as a chorister at Westminster Abbey under James O’Donnell, singing in a wide range of services and recordings, most notably, the Royal Wedding in 2011. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Anne Marsden-Thomas and has just graduated with a First class honours degree. He studies the organ with Prof. David Titterington, Improvisation with Gerard Brooks and Choral conducting with Patrick Russill. He has received several prizes and awards such as the William John Kripps Scholarship, the Dorothy Cooper organ prize, Norman Askew Organ prize. In 2020 he was a prize winner at the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition.

Recent concert appearances include Southwark Cathedral, St Albans Cathedral, Reading Town Hall and Liverpool Cathedral. With the choir of KCL and Joseph Fort, Joshua made a CD with Delphian of the “Organ and Choral music of Edward Nesbit” which has been critically acclaimed, receiving 5 stars in “Choir & Organ” and given Editors choice in “Gramophone”, “Joshua played superbly with virtuoso use of the organ.”

Joshua has a keen interest in contemporary music, he has worked with Robin Haigh, Carmen Ho and Simon Rowland-Jones in producing world premieres. In September, Joshua will begin as organ scholar of The London Oratory.