Daniel Cook took up the position of Organist and
Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral and Artistic Director of the St
Davids Cathedral Festival in November 2011. At St Davids he
is responsible for the maintenance and development of the cathedral’s musical
ministry, at the heart of which are the services sung daily by the Cathedral
Choirs. In
addition he is Music Director of the Dyfed Choir and Artistic Director of the
Mousai Singers and maintains a busy schedule of recitals, concerts and recordings
as well as being in demand as a teacher and singer. Prior to this he spent six years as Assistant Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral where he was the principal organist, playing for all major services, broadcasts, concerts and recordings as well as being Musical Director of the Farrant Singers. He was Musical Director of the Grange Choral Society and Orchestra in Christchurch from 2008 - 2011, with whom he directed many major choral works including Elgar - The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi - Requiem.
Daniel received his early musical education at Durham Cathedral with Keith Wright. Following a year as Organ Scholar at Worcester Cathedral, he moved to London to take up a place at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied with Nicolas Kynaston, James O'Donnell and Patrick Russill and participated in master classes with many of the world’s leading organists including Marie-Claire Alain, Lionel Rogg and Jon Laukvik. While at the Academy, he worked as Organ Scholar at Southwark Cathedral and Westminster Abbey before graduating with first-class honours in July, 2003. While still a student, he was appointed Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey where he participated in many important national and international services including the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation.
Daniel has twice been a finalist in the St Albans International Organ Competition. As a recitalist, he has played across the UK, as well as making appearances in Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy and Norway. Recent years have seen engagements in most of the cathedrals in Britain, several Oxbridge College Chapels and in Westminster Abbey's Summer Organ Festival. He is also well known as an accompanist and has worked with many of the distinguished vocal ensembles and choral groups in the UK such as the BBC Singers and the Holst Singers. His first solo organ recording (of the organ works of Sir Walter Alcock, recorded in Salisbury Cathedral) was released by Priory Records in January 2009. Recent projects have included a performance of the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen in six recitals to celebrate the centenary of the composer’s birth, and a CD recording of contemporary organ music for the John Armitage Memorial Trust and Choir and Organ magazine.
Daniel received his early musical education at Durham Cathedral with Keith Wright. Following a year as Organ Scholar at Worcester Cathedral, he moved to London to take up a place at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied with Nicolas Kynaston, James O'Donnell and Patrick Russill and participated in master classes with many of the world’s leading organists including Marie-Claire Alain, Lionel Rogg and Jon Laukvik. While at the Academy, he worked as Organ Scholar at Southwark Cathedral and Westminster Abbey before graduating with first-class honours in July, 2003. While still a student, he was appointed Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey where he participated in many important national and international services including the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation.
Daniel has twice been a finalist in the St Albans International Organ Competition. As a recitalist, he has played across the UK, as well as making appearances in Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy and Norway. Recent years have seen engagements in most of the cathedrals in Britain, several Oxbridge College Chapels and in Westminster Abbey's Summer Organ Festival. He is also well known as an accompanist and has worked with many of the distinguished vocal ensembles and choral groups in the UK such as the BBC Singers and the Holst Singers. His first solo organ recording (of the organ works of Sir Walter Alcock, recorded in Salisbury Cathedral) was released by Priory Records in January 2009. Recent projects have included a performance of the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen in six recitals to celebrate the centenary of the composer’s birth, and a CD recording of contemporary organ music for the John Armitage Memorial Trust and Choir and Organ magazine.
