About the conductor: Simon Lindley
One of Britain’s leading organists and choir directors, Dr Simon Lindley was appointed Conductor of Sheffield Bach Choir in 2009 and, as such, is hugely enjoying the renewal of associations with the city where his grandmother was born – and lived until her marriage in 1916 – and in which two of his cousins have made their homes in more recent years.
Simon is the long-serving Master of the Music at historic Leeds Parish Church, and Director of St Peter’s Singers, one of England’s finest chamber choirs. He is also Conductor of Doncaster Choral Society, to which post he was appointed in Autumn of 2010.
He is one of Britain’s most popular musicians. His performance of the Elgar Sonata at the 1975 Proms broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall, established his reputation as a player of distinctive style. As a conductor, Dr Lindley served long periods with Leeds Philharmonic and Halifax Choral Societies and has worked with leading British orchestras as well as more locally-based ensembles, professional and amateur.
Simon’s first conducting experience was in the City of London and at St Albans in Hertfordshire – he retains to this day very strong links with both and his work with community choruses and brass bands is widely-acclaimed.
An extensive discography includes recordings with his Leeds-based choirs and two best-selling Naxos CDs – Handel Concertos/Northern Sinfonia and French Organ Music from Leeds Parish Church. There’s also an award-winning Chandos CD of Khachaturian’s fiendishly difficult Symphony No 3 for organ and orchestra/BBC Philharmonic/ recorded live at a Leeds Town Hall concert.
He is also to be heard on Chandos in many recordings with cornet virtuoso Phillip McCann and with the acclaimed Orchestra of Opera North.
Simon comes from a musical family. His sister, Ruth, has just retired after many years service in the professional choir at Brompton Oratory and their great-grandmother, mezzo Marie Brema, sang the part of the Angel at the first performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in 1900.
Simon’s own family comprises three sons, a daughter and two American granddaughters.
Dr Lindley is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He is currently in office as Organist to the United Grand Lodge of England and the Masonic Province of Yorkshire, West Riding.
More information about Simon can be found on his personal website www.simonlindley.org.uk and on his Wikipedia site
