Andrew Newberry

Andrew Robert Newberry MA FRCO ADCM (CHM)

17th November 1949 - 11th February 2000

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Recordings of Andrew's playing are here and here,

My transcription of an Improvisation can be downloaded HERE

My performance of it is HERE

 

Andrew was my second organ teacher. He taught on the small organ which was in the Song School at Peterborough: it is now in Polebrook church (slightly upgraded) which I recorded in 2023. With his guidance and encouragement I passed Grade 7 & 8 and also my ARCO diploma. Essentially, he inspired me to become an organist.

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The following text was, at one time, on the Hampshire Rennaisance Choir website.

 

From a very early age Andrew's life was steeped in music, and in particular in that part of the repertoire which is associated with the Church of England choral tradition. His musical education was enviable, in that he spent some years as a chorister at King's College Chapel, Cambridge, under the direction of (Sir) David Willcocks, and at the incredibly early age of 17 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. He returned to Cambridge as an undergraduate to be the Organ Scholar at Selwyn College, and subsequently was able to use his obvious talents in a succession of positions.

From 1971 to 1980 he was Assistant Organist at Peterborough Cathedral, where he played for many broadcasts, including the 1975 Royal Maundy Service; and during succeeding years he gave recitals in many prestigious locations, including Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, and many other English cathedrals, including Portsmouth, Chichester, Hereford and Coventry. His foreign appearances included appearances in Denmark, France, Norway and Germany. Additionally, Andrew was heavily engaged in a variety of other musical activities, including conducting and accompanying choirs, and he had a particularly long association with the Portsmouth Festival Choir, of which he was Deputy Conductor. From 1987 until his death he was Head of Music at Virgo Fidelis School, Upper Norwood.