Iain SIMCOCK

	Iain SIMCOCKIain Simcock was organ scholar at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and Christ Church, Oxford, before being appointed Sub-Organist at Westminster Abbey and, for seven years, Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. He was the first British prize-winner in the Chartres International Organ Competition and studied with David Sanger in London and Jean Langlais in Paris.

He recorded several CDs for Hyperion Records with the choir of Westminster Cathedral as well as several solo organ recordings, including two Symphonies by Louis Vierne and notably the world première recording of Christus – A Passion Symphony for Organ by Francis Pott. During this period, recital tours took him all over Europe as well as to Australia. He also appeared regularly on BBC radio and television and played in two BBC Proms concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. He gave many duo concerts during this time with Jonathan Freeman-Attwood (trumpet).

Since living in France, Iain has been professor of choral singing at the Conservatoire National in Angers and organist at the Abbey of Saint Pierre in Solesmes, whilst continuing his solo freelance career. He performed the complete organ works of Bach in Angers in 1996 recording a solo CD of highlights from the performances. He also performed all Bach’s major harpsichord works including the Goldberg Variations on the famous Taskin harpsichord in the Russell collection at the Edinburgh Festival.

In 2000 Iain Simcock became Musical Director of the Maîtrise de l’Académie Vocale de Paris, which he has built into the most ambitious choral project in France. The Maîtrise travels increasingly, giving concerts of a vast repertoire of great choral music from Manchicourt to MacMillan. He also works with the opera houses in Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, preparing young singers for roles in Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Turn of the Screw, Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande, Berlioz Damnation of Faust, Mozart Magic Flute and as assistant to Jane Glover and harpsichordist for Handel Jephtha.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Simcock