Roger Sayer | Gavin Williams | Dan Soper

Roger Sayer (Director of Music)

Roger Sayer is Organist of Rochester Cathedral. He began his musical career as a chorister in Portsmouth. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music under the late Nicholas Danby, winning all the major organ prizes. Between 1980 and 1984 he was organ student at St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and in 1981 was appointed organist of Woodford Parish Church, where he built up a fine musical tradition.

Since graduating he has been constantly in demand as an organist and conductor. He makes regular visits to Scandanavia, as well as giving numerous concerts in most parts of Europe and the USA. Recently these included performances in St. Paul's Cathedral in the Celebrity Series, and Riverside Church in New York. In 1989 he won third prize in the St. Albans International Organ Competition, and in the same year was appointed Assistant Organist at Rochester Cathedral. In 1994 Roger was promoted to the position of Organist and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, his responsibilities being: directing the traditional boys' choir on a daily basis, as well as directing the Girls' Choir and the Senior Girls' Choir, which he established in 1995 and 2004 respectively. In September 2008 he relinquished the post to concentrate on his freelance activities, but remains as Cathedral Organist.

Roger has made numerous highly acclaimed recordings, both as an organist and as a conductor. He frequently directs choral workshops, and has initiated and directed several projects, including Britten's Noah's Fludde and a children's music education week. During the past few years he has played many of the monthly concerts of the Great Organ Works series, which he founded at Rochester, including the complete organ works of J. S. Bach in 2005.

His concerts in many parts of the world have included the organ symphonies of Vierne and all the organ works of Duruflé. In 2009, his performances have taken him to Iceland, Italy, France, Germany and the USA. He accompanies many choirs, including the world famous Tenebrae. He is also the accompanist for the London Symphony Chorus. The Midas Touch Organ Duo, with Charles Andrews, is another of his many additional musical activities, and one which is hoped will promote the organ to a younger audience as they pilot educational concerts.

On top of his busy schedule he finds time to examine for the Associated Board, and adjudicates for the British Federation of Music Festivals.

He has recently recorded his third CD in the Classic Selection series.

Please see Roger's website for more information.

Gavin Williams (Assistant Director of Music and Chorus Master)

Gavin Williams studied piano, organ and composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1961 to 1964 passing FRCO, GRSM, LRAM and ARCM. He had already passed ARCO at 17 years of age, while still at school. He was awarded the organ scholarship at Pembroke College, Oxford, but was subsequently denied financial assistance by the Local Authority. After a further year at the RAM, studying orchestral conducting with Maurice Miles, and conducting several concerts with the Academy musicians, Gavin was appointed sub-organist of Guildford Cathedral in 1965.

With the cathedral choir under Barry Rose, Gavin made over a dozen records with international recording companies (later issued as CDs), and was awarded two gold discs and one platinum disc. At that time Guildford Cathedral was one of the finest choirs in the country, and Gavin accompanied it in many parts of the UK, including King's College Chapel, Cambridge.

Gavin moved to Rochester as Director of Music of King's School in 1970, and immediately founded the professional orchestra Orchestra Roffensis, with whom he has given concerts with many leading international soloists, including John Ogdon, John Lill and Robert Cohen. Under his direction the King's School Choir has toured most of the English cathedrals, and achieved exceptionally high standards.

During his time at King's School, almost all the organ scholars won organ scholarships to Oxford or Cambridge and nearly 20 choral, organ or instrumental scholarships to Oxbridge were awarded. Innumerable pupils went on to university or music college to study music and become professional musicians. Gavin also taught mathematics and coached cricket, rugby and hockey. He retired in 2005 and now devotes more time to playing the piano and organ, as well as serving as a magistrate on the North Kent Bench.

Dan Soper (Accompanist (2006-2011) and Webmaster)

We wish Dan the best of luck in his new job as Assistant Director of Music and Assistant Organist at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St. Edmunds, starting Tuesday 8th November 2011!

Dan Soper is a freelance organist, accompanist, webmaster, programmer and administrator.

He began his musical education as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, finishing as Deputy Head Chorister. He then moved to Trinity School in Croydon, where he started his organ studies, accompanying the school choir in Cathedral visits and becoming Organ Scholar at Croydon Parish Church. He spent his gap year at Chelmsford Cathedral as Organ Scholar, gaining considerable experience in choral accompaniment.

In July 2005 Dan graduated after three years at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he read music, whilst being Organ Scholar. During this time he shared conducting the choir and accompanying with the other Organ Scholar, and, while he was Senior Organ Scholar, the choir recorded a CD, Regina Caeli, and toured to Prague. He spent a year after graduating at Winchester College, as Assistant Organist, working with the Quiristers.

As a rehearsal accompanist, Dan has worked with the Croydon Bach Choir, Chelmsford Singers, Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society, Twyford Singers (Hampshire), Winchester Music Club, and, since 2006, Rochester Choral Society.

Since his time at Chelmsford, his life-long love of all things related to computers has developed with a particular interest in the Web. He has worked on and created many websites (including Rochester Choral Society's) and created several web programs - including a Cathedral Diary system and a Choir Admin availability site. 

From September 2006 to October 2010, Dan was Assistant Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, where his responsibilities included the Girls' Choir, accompaniment of many of the services, music library, as well as departmental administration and planning. He has been involved as an organist or director on three Songs of Praise programmes, two Radio 3 Choral Evensong broadcasts, and two CD recordings. As a cowbell player he has also performed on Classic FM. When the Cathedral music department was restructured in 2008, Dan took on extra responsibilites for the Cathedral's IT and website, which he continues to do on a part-time basis. 

As an Organist, Dan is now Assistant Director of Music at Dartford Parish Church and Director of the Dartford Girls' Choir.

In his remaining time, Dan is becoming increasingly busy with web projects, music typesetting and programming, and has recently produced his first iPhone app.

The Rochester Choral Society is on Facebook and Gerontius.net.