Artistic Director - Jonathan Hope
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Jonathan Hope is the Assistant Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral. He is the principal organist for cathedral services, director of the Cathedral Youth Choir, accompanist to the Gloucester Choral Society, Festival Organist for the Gloucester Three Choirs Festivals, and our own Artistic Director.
Educated at George Abbot School, Guildford, Jonathan studied with John Belcher and David Sanger, and later at the Royal College of Music, London with Margaret Phillips and Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin (improvisation). He was Organ Scholar of Winchester Cathedral under Andrew Lumsden, and Southwark Cathedral under Peter Wright, before moving to Gloucester in 2014.
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As a popular and talented organist, Jonathan performs throughout the UK, as well as France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the USA and Australia. You may have attended some of his improvisations to silent movies, which have recently included Lon Chaney’s The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2016 Three Choirs Festival), Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last and Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings. He is also a gifted arranger for both choir and organ. Organ arrangements include Brahms’ overtures and Elgar’s In the South and the choir loved performing his arrangements of WWI songs in our celebration of the armistice concert 'All Clear!'
In 2015 he released Gloucester Experience (Willowhayne Records), featuring works by Elgar, John Hosking, John Sanders and Reubke. In 2016 he released a DVD, The Grand Organ of Gloucester Cathedral, with Priory Records, which featured his transcription of Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Both are available in the cathedral shop.
In 2019, he released Redcliffe Experience (Willowhayne Records) on the organ of St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.
In 2019, he released Redcliffe Experience (Willowhayne Records) on the organ of St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.
Through his work in the Three Choirs Festival, he has played with the Philharmonia Orchestra and worked with guest conductors Simon Halsey, Martyn Brabbins, Sir Andrew Davis and Edward Gardner. He frequently plays with the BBC National Chorus and Orchestra of Wales, and often broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and 4.
Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions
To all musicians, appear and inspire:
Translated Daughter, come down and startle
Composing mortals with immortal fire.
from 'Hymn to St Cecilia' - WH Auden
To all musicians, appear and inspire:
Translated Daughter, come down and startle
Composing mortals with immortal fire.
from 'Hymn to St Cecilia' - WH Auden