Jonathan Lilley

Organist

A church musician since chorister days at parish and cathedral in Salisbury, Jonathan Lilley trained at the Royal Academy of Music as an organ pupil of Nicholas Danby.  Whilst still a first-year student he held the organ scholarship at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and gained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.

After graduation he spent six years making music in and around Leeds.  Based at Leeds Parish Church where he was Sub-Organist and the first director of the new Girls’ Choir, he ran a busy and varied freelance career, especially as choral director and accompanist for Leeds College of Music and to numerous choirs around the West Riding of Yorkshire.

In 2002 Jonathan moved to Ely Cathedral where as full-time Assistant Organist he accompanies the cathedral choir and assists the Director of Music, Paul Trepte, in all aspects of the training and running of the choir.  He also acts as organist to King’s School, Ely, who along with Ely Choral Society and Ely Consort keep him active as a piano and organ accompanist.

Professional highlights of 2013 include Poulenc’s organ concerto with the City of London Sinfonia under Stephen Layton, broadcast from Ely Cathedral by BBC Radio 3, and an invitation to return to Magdeburg Cathedral.  Jonathan’s first foray into improvised silent film accompaniment, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, was met with universal acclaim, and another film is planned for 29th August, also in Ely Cathedral.  In September Jonathan takes up the post of Director of Music at Waltham Abbey Church.