Stephen Darlington

Stephen Darlington is one of Britain's top organists and choral conductors, known for his long association with Christ Church, Oxford. As a teen he attended King's School, Worcester, and studied with organist Harry Bramma. In the early '70s, he served as the organ scholar at Christ Church, under Simon Preston. From 1974 to 1978, he was the assistant organist at the Canterbury Cathedral, followed by an appointment as the Master of Music at St. Albans Cathedral. He returned to Christ Church in 1985, beginning a long and prosperous career as the organist and music tutor until his retirement in 2018. Darlington has recorded over 60 albums, winning several honors including a Classical BRIT Award, a Grammy nomination, and many Gramophone nominations. He has performed throughout the world with the Christ Church Choir, and also as an organist. Some of his past collaborations include the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and many others. Darlington's repertoire encompasses music from all eras, and he has worked with contemporary composers such as John Tavener, Judith Weir, and Howard Goodall. He continues to be highly regarded as a visiting conductor and music lecturer at major universities throughout the world, including the University of Cincinnati, the University of Western Australia, and Oxford University. Darlington earned a Lambeth Doctorate in Music, and is a vice president of the Royal College of Organists. In 2019, he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his outstanding services to music. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi