©The Dean & Canons of Windsor.
Ben Bloor was born in Derby in 1991. He started his musical education with the piano in 1998 closely followed by the organ in 2002, studying with Peter Gould. After many rewarding years as a treble in Derby Cathedral Choir, Ben became organ scholar there at the age of 15. During this period, he took part in many tours, accompanying the choir in such places as Florence, Paris, Cologne and St Paul's Cathedral, London. He was also fortunate to be given the opportunity to play for live national radio for the BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong and BBC Radio 4 Sunday Morning Worship programmes – indeed, he was one of the youngest organists ever to do so.
Ben holds Associate Diplomas from Trinity College, London for piano, and the Royal College of Organists for organ, for which he won the Sawyer and Durrant Prize for his performance in the latter. He attended the Oundle for Organists Prospecitve Organ Scholars Course in 2007 and the RCO Organ Scholars Course in 2011, and, more recently was part of an Oxford Betts Association study trip to Haarlem in the Netherlands, playing historic instruments and taking part in masterclasses with Jacques van Oortmerssen and Pieter van Dijk.
In 2010, Ben was awarded the organ scholarship at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he resided and worked for a year, training the probationer choristers as well as playing regularly for services, many of which were attended by royalty – in particular, he contributed to the music at the prestigious annual Garter Day service and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh's 90th Birthday service, both in June 2011. During his time in Windsor, he was the accompanist for the Windsor and Eton Choral Society, and now plays for the Oxford Bach Choir.
Ben is currently reading music as an undergraduate at New College, Oxford, and is also the organ scholar there, accompanying the world-famous choir under the baton of Edward Higginbottom. During his time there, Ben has toured Cyprus, Belgium, Italy and the USA, and has played continuo for concert performances of Bach's Magnificat and St John Passion, and Haydn's Creation. In addition to his college commitments, he is the organist at the City Church of St Michael at the North Gate in Oxford. He currently studies organ with Stephen Farr.
Recently, Ben was a finalist in the American Guild of Organists Quimby Competition for Young Organists, held in New Jersey, and winner of the 2012 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition in Armagh. He is much in demand as a recitalist up and down this country, having given performances in Buxton, Oxford, Liverpool, Belfast, York and Windsor in the last year alone.
Ben holds Associate Diplomas from Trinity College, London for piano, and the Royal College of Organists for organ, for which he won the Sawyer and Durrant Prize for his performance in the latter. He attended the Oundle for Organists Prospecitve Organ Scholars Course in 2007 and the RCO Organ Scholars Course in 2011, and, more recently was part of an Oxford Betts Association study trip to Haarlem in the Netherlands, playing historic instruments and taking part in masterclasses with Jacques van Oortmerssen and Pieter van Dijk.
In 2010, Ben was awarded the organ scholarship at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he resided and worked for a year, training the probationer choristers as well as playing regularly for services, many of which were attended by royalty – in particular, he contributed to the music at the prestigious annual Garter Day service and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh's 90th Birthday service, both in June 2011. During his time in Windsor, he was the accompanist for the Windsor and Eton Choral Society, and now plays for the Oxford Bach Choir.
Ben is currently reading music as an undergraduate at New College, Oxford, and is also the organ scholar there, accompanying the world-famous choir under the baton of Edward Higginbottom. During his time there, Ben has toured Cyprus, Belgium, Italy and the USA, and has played continuo for concert performances of Bach's Magnificat and St John Passion, and Haydn's Creation. In addition to his college commitments, he is the organist at the City Church of St Michael at the North Gate in Oxford. He currently studies organ with Stephen Farr.
Recently, Ben was a finalist in the American Guild of Organists Quimby Competition for Young Organists, held in New Jersey, and winner of the 2012 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition in Armagh. He is much in demand as a recitalist up and down this country, having given performances in Buxton, Oxford, Liverpool, Belfast, York and Windsor in the last year alone.
