13th October 2021

Jesus College Organ Scholar to join Salisbury Cathedral Music team

Organist Christopher Too, currently an Organ Scholar at Jesus College in Cambridge, is to join Salisbury Cathedral’s music team next year as the Cathedral’s latest Organ Scholar. 
 
Currently in his final year at Cambridge Chris, who is studying organ with Margaret Phillips alongside his music degree, began playing the organ as a chorister at Bridlington Priory, supported by the newly founded Dr Martin Clarke Young Organ Scholars Trust. In 2013 he won a music scholarship to Ampleforth College, and in 2018 gained his Associateship of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO), the first Ampleforth student ever to do so while still at school. He is now working towards his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO).
On leaving school Chris spent a year as the Organ Scholar at Gloucester Cathedral under Adrian Partington, where he regularly accompanied the numerous Cathedral choirs, local choral societies, and took part in the famous Three Choirs Festival. He went to Cambridge in 2019, spending his first year as Junior Organ Scholar at King’s College, accompanying the world-famous choir for their daily pattern of services. He subsequently moved to Jesus College as an Organ Scholar, where his responsibilities include live streaming, conducting, and accompanying services, as well as providing music for organ meditations and recitals when singing was prohibited. 
 
Reflecting on his new role at Salisbury Cathedral, Christopher Too said:
“I’m hugely looking forward to joining the team at Salisbury, not least to accompanying both the girls’ and boys’ choir on the newly refurbished Father Willis organ and working with John Challenger and David Halls.”
 
John Challenger, Assistant Director of Music, and an organist at the Cathedral said:
“Christopher’s appointment, along with last Saturday’s triumphant Gala Concert, are milestones on the road back to normality for us. We are looking forward to welcoming him into the team. In the meantime, with Advent and Christmas approaching, we are delighted that Sam Bristow, our assistant organist, is still with us. He has been a tremendous support over the last year and it’s brilliant to have him around now things are getting really busy again.”
 
Richard Pinel, Fellow and Director of Music at Jesus College Cambridge said, 
“We are immensely proud of Chris’ appointment to Salisbury Cathedral as Organ Scholar. He has been an invaluable member of our Chapel music department this last year or so and I know that he will be a real asset to Salisbury Cathedral.”
 
Christopher Too will take up his post at Salisbury Cathedral in September 2022, after his graduation. He will not only be playing for daily services at the Cathedral but will also assist with the training of the Cathedral choristers and, in due course, giving recitals when concert plans get back on track.