|
The English organist, Robert Quinney, studied at King's College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar from 1995 to 1998. Prior to this he spent a year as Organ Scholar of Winchester Cathedral and Assistant Organist of Winchester College. On graduating from Cambridge (with BA and M.Phil. degrees) Quinney became Acting Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey.
After a year as Acting Sub Organist at Westminster Abbey, Robert Quinney moved to Westminster Cathedral as Assistant Master of Music in September 2000. In addition to daily work with Westminster Cathedral Choir, he organised and gave many of the Cathedral's recitals. In 2001 he became the fourth organist to play the monumental Passion Symphony Christus by Francis Pott. He won the Royal College of Organists Performer of the Year competition in 2002.
Since moving back to Westminster Abbey in 2004, Robert Quinney has performed with the Westminster Abbey Choir on concert tours to the USA and Australia, on an acclaimed series of recordings for Hyperion, and at several televised services. He is the principal organist for many special and daily services held at the Abbey. His Short Service for boys' voices was written for the choristers of Westminster Abbey Choir and first performed in 2008. He directed the Westminster Abbey Choir for the Michaelmas term of 2010, during which period he led première performances of choral works by Richard Rodney Bennett, Jonathan Dove, Grayston Ives and Matthew Martin. He played the organ for the Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton in the Abbey on April 29, 2011, accompanying the Westminster Abbey Choir and congregation.
In addition to his work at the Abbey, Robert Quinney has a busy freelance career as soloist, ensemble player, and writer on music. Since October 2009 he has been Director of Oundle for Organists, whose residential courses provide inspiring tuition for young organists. Quinney is also active as a continuo player, frequently to be heard performing with period ensembles such as The Sixteen, The English Concert, and The Cardinall’s Musick.
In October 2012 it was announced that Robert Quinney would take up the role of Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral in April 2013.
Robert Quinney’s double disc “The Grand Organ of Westminster Cathedral” has been widely acclaimed. His CD, “The Organ of Westminster Abbey”, features music by Elgar. This new release follows the acclaimed 2 CD set The Grand Organ of Westminster Cathedral, of which Gramophone wrote, ‘Alongside his impeccable performances, Quinney’s greatest achievement is to produce music-making which really communicates itself to the listener’. In addition to these discs of Romantic repertoire, he has recently begun a series of J.S. Bach recordings for Coro; the first disc, of the six Trio Sonatas (BWV 525-530), was released in September 2011, and the second in July 2013.. |
