Biography

Dubbed “an artist to watch” in Organists’ Review, Samuel Bristow has served as Assistant Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral since September 2023. In his role he acts as the principal organist to the Cathedral’s liturgy, assists in the running of the Cathedral choirs and oversees a flourishing lunchtime concert series.

 

Samuel graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with First Class Honours in 2019, having studied with Daniel Moult and Henry Fairs. Whilst there he was also a recipient of the John Campbell Keyboard Prize. In his time as Organ Scholar at St Paul’s Cathedral, Samuel performed the complete organ works of Felix Mendelssohn in 2021 as part of the ‘Organ Giants’ series, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Father Willis rebuild. He has also held positions at the cathedrals of Coventry, Birmingham and Salisbury, where he was an integral part of the respective music departments.

 

Samuel has accompanied world premieres of choral works by composers including Francis Jackson and Owain Park. Alongside his work in the Cathedral, Samuel is also active as a recitalist, choral director, and teacher. Along with his many accolades he has also broadcast on BBC Radio 3 & 4, and Songs of Praise on BBC One.