David W Beeby BMus FRCO(DipCHM) LRAM
Experienced Organist working in Bournemouth, Dorset and the South West.
Organist & Conductor
David holds the highest UK qualifications as an Organist - Fellow of the Royal College Organists - and as a prizewinning holder of the RCO’s Choral Training Diploma - FRCO(DipCHM), in addition to holding a BMus(Hons) degree London University following undergraduate study at The Royal Academy of Music.
David plays regularly at Christchurch Priory, assisting with the organ playing and direction of the Priory Choirs. Over the last few years he has performed Organ Recitals at Portsmouth Cathedral, Christchurch Priory and St Stephen’s Church, Bournemouth, as well as performing Saint-Saëns’ “Organ” Symphony with Westbourne Orchestra in 2017. In 2015, David has performed Poulenc’s Organ Concerto on several occasions, most recently in Winchester Cathedral with Bournemouth University Orchestra.
As a specialist in Church Music, he has very wide experience as an organist for Weddings & Funerals, but is also available for liturgical, concert and recital performances. Usually prepared to travel up-to 50 miles within a day, David is also open to professional engagements further afield - please enquire.David’s engagement as a Wedding Organist includes phone or online discussion with the couple, to assist and advise on choice of hymns and organ music. Using his Viscount Digital Organ at home, David is able to demonstrate pieces to help the couple make their choices of music right for he special occasion.
There is much useful information regarding Wedding Music, with clips of popular choices of organ music and hymns, here: https://organistsonline.org/weddings/
Music Educator
David has enjoyed a rewarding career in music education, mainly in the secondary sector. As Head of Music Department at Poole Grammar School for over twenty years, he has taught generations of students, many of whom have gone onto further education and careers in Music. In addition to his work in the classroom, David has led Poole Grammar School musicians in countless performances, both in school and further afield and in prestigious UK venues such as the Lighthouse Concert Hall, Poole, the Royal Albert Hall, London, the Symphony Hall and Town Hall, Birmingham, and the Millennium Dome, London.
David has very wide experience as a piano accompanist for exams and concerts, something he has done regularly throughout his teaching career, and for other performances, rehearsals and workshops.
Composer
Alongside his work at Poole Grammar School, David has maintained his active interest in composition. On Christmas Day 2014, his arrangement of “I saw three ships” was performed by Portsmouth Cathedral Choir on BBC Radio 4, and subsequently recorded by them on the CD “Verbum Caro Factum Est.”
In 2017, David was commissioned to write “Hodie, Christus natus est” for the Christmas Festival of Carols at Derby Cathedral.
David’s most recent orchestral piece is “One Giant Leap…” a large-scale piece written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing by Apollo XI in July 1969. The music was commissioned by the Music Education Agency “SoundStorm” and first performed in a Festival at Upton House, Poole in July 2019.
David at the console of the mighty five-manual Klais organ of The Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent, Belgium, on tour with Christchurch Priory Choir in August 2018.
David plays Jehan Alain's celebrated " Litanies" on the Nicholson Organ at Christchurch Priory.
Please get in touch with David by email or phone to discuss future projects - organ playing (liturgical and concert), piano accompaniment, conducting, workshops, masterclasses, etc.