St. George's Music Staff
Dr. Murray Forbes Somerville, Music Director
Our Director of Music, Dr. Murray Somerville, brings to our parish a variety of skills and life experiences.- Born in London, raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Africa
- Studied in Germany (with Bach specialist Karl Richter), at Oxford (Organ Scholar of New College under Sir David Lumsden), in New York (Union Theological Seminary) and in Boston (doctorate from New England Conservatory)
- Served St. James’s Church in West Hartford, CT, Cathedral of St. Luke in Orlando, FL, Memorial Church at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
- Founded Orlando Deanery Boychoir, Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra
- Conducted Winter Park Bach Festival, Nashville Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Florida Symphony, City of Oxford Orchestras
- Named Associate of Britain’s Royal School of Church Music; served RSCM courses in USA as music director, housemaster, accompanist, and chairman of national Board; conducted many childrens’ choir festivals and camps
- Served as Chairman of the Board, Boston Camerata; Advisory Board, Yale Institute of Sacred Music; Member-at-large, Nashville AGO Board
- Over 100 organ recitals – in Germany, England (Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Ely, Lichfield, Hereford cathedrals), and throughout US
- Over a dozen CD’s on Koch, Pro Organo, Raven, ASV, Centaur labels.
- Press comments – “incomparable performances” (American Record Guide); “a demonstration of choral perfection” (Freies Wort, Germany); **** “precise in tuning and attack, and blended to a creamy smoothness” (BBC Music Magazine)
Recently, he has led St. George’s Choir in the US premiere of the C.P.E. Bach’s 1769 “St. Matthew Passion”, and in concert at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. He has recently founded the early instrument ensemble Belle Meade Baroque. His wife Hazel is Artistic Director of the Children’s Choruses at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt.
murray.somerville@stgeorgesnashville.org
