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The English organist and harpsichordist, Mark Swinton, was educated at the King's School, beginning his organ studies with Roger Fisher at Chester Cathedral. He studied at the University of York, graduating with Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in 2002 and Master of Arts degree in Music two years later. He has studied with David Briggs, Roger Fisher, Dr Francis Jackson and John Scott Whiteley, amongst others, and has participated in master-classes with Johannes Geffert and Dame Gillian Weir.
A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists since 2006, Mark Swinton has given numerous recitals at venues throughout the UK, including the Cathedrals at Birmingham (Anglican), Bradford, Bristol (Anglican), Chester, Coventry, Hereford, Portsmouth, Ripon, Sheffield, Southwark (Anglican and Roman Catholic), St Albans and Truro as well as St Michael's Cornhill (London), Wesley's Chapel (London), Christchurch Priory, St Bees Priory, Hull City Hall, Reading Town Hall, Lancaster Town Hall, the "Building of Bath" Museum and York Minster. He has also performed in France, Germany, Spain and Holland both as a soloist and an accompanist.
In 2003, Mark Swinton was appointed Organist at Clifton College, Bristol, where he played for daily Chapel services, accompanied the Chapel Choirs in concerts, tours and Cathedral visits to Lichfield and Salisbury in addition to their regular round of services, and masterminded a recital series featuring the College's splendid 1911 Harrison organ. His own recitals there included complete performances of Messiaen's La Nativité du Seigneur and L'Ascension, as well as the first performance of a work written for him by Bryan Boulter. In 2005 he became Assistant Organist at Bath Abbey, where he accompanied and helped to direct the acclaimed Choirs of Boys, Girls and Men under the direction of Dr Peter King. He made several appearances in the Abbey's recital series, accompanied choir tours to Alkmaar and Aix-en-Provence.
Mark Swinton moved to become Organist at Kendal Parish Church in September 2008, where he directed the Choirs of Boys and Men, the mixed 'Congregational Choir' and established new choirs for Junior Boys and for Girls, developing the scope of the Church's music to meet the needs of new styles of worship and a more inclusive community. He revived a series of organ recitals at Kendal, which helped raise significant funds in support of the Church's choral activities. He also directed Kendal South Choir in their programme of concerts, including Charpentier's Messe de Minuit, Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols & The First Nowell, Schubert's Messe in A flat, George Frideric Handel's Dettingen Te Deum, John Rutter's When icicles hang, Antonio Vivaldi's famous Gloria and Carissimi's oratorio, Jephte.
Mark Swinton was appointed as Assistant Director of Music at the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick in October 2011. There, he plays a significant role in training and accompanying the celebrated choirs of Boys, Girls and Men in four sung services every week. He has appeared with them in concert, including the premieres of choral works by Naji Hakim and David Briggs, on tours throughout the UK and abroad, on radio and television broadcasts, and on two recent CD recordings to date: "Christmas from Warwick" and "Gaudeamus omnes: celebrating Warwick 1100" (Regent Records). He also directs St Mary's Scholars, the Church mixed adult chamber choir that sings occasional services in St Mary's whilst undertaking its own programme of concerts and tours, and is becoming increasingly well-known as a leading chamber choir in the Warwick area..
His first solo recording, "Colours of the Klais" (Cloister Records) marked the 10th anniversary in 2007 of the magnificent Klais organ in Bath Abbey; 2016 saw the release of "A Bach Family Album" (Willowhayne Records). He has an occasional duo partnership with violinist Lucy Phillips; they have given concerts together in Bath, Chester, Warwick and Worksop, and recorded a CD.
Although primarily an organist, Mark Swinton has performed as a harpsichordist since student days in York, often appearing as a continuo player with the University Baroque Ensemble and even venturing into the world of contemporary music for the instrument via what is now known as the Chimera Ensemble. He has also accompanied the soprano Yvonne Seymour and provided continuo for the Yorkshire Youth Orchestra and EU Chamber Orchestra.
When not busy with musical activities, Mark Swinton enjoys the countryside, rail travel and cookery. He is married to Holly, a personal tutor and dyslexia expert. |
