Musical Director - Philip Lawson
Philip read Music at York University and sang alto in the choir of York Minster under Francis Jackson. While there, he changed to baritone, and upon graduating moved to London to work as a freelance singer. Here he deputised regularly in the choirs of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral, was a Lay Clerk in the choir of Southwark Cathedral and performed many times with other groups such as The Sixteen, The Taverner Choir and The BBC Singers, including at the BBC Proms. He was also part of a vocal quartet that was hired by ITV’s “Game for a Laugh” to perform the Ave Maris Stella from Monteverdi’s Vespers while skydiving from 13,000 feet, undoubtedly the “height” of his career so far!
In 1982, Philip arrived in Salisbury to be the new Decani Bass Lay Clerk in the cathedral choir, and subsequently was appointed Director of Music at Chafyn Grove Prep School. He sang as a guest soloist with most of the local choirs, including The Romsey Singers, and joined this group on their tour of France in 1988, with his later-to-be wife playing violin in the accompanying string ensemble!
In 1993, Philip successfully auditioned for a place in The King’s Singers, replacing founder-member Simon Carrington, and so in January 1994 began a new life of full-time touring, recording and broadcasting. In 18 years singing with the group he performed in more than 2,000 concerts, co-presented over 300 choral workshops and appeared on 25 CDs, several DVDs and numerous radio and television programmes. After the departure of Bob Chilcott in 1997 he became the group’s principal arranger, contributing over 50 arrangements to the repertoire, including 10 for the 2008 album “Simple Gifts”, which went on to win the 2009 Grammy award for Best Classical Crossover Album.
Philip now has an arranging and consultancy deal with the American company Hal Leonard Corporation, and teaches in the vocal departments of Wells Cathedral School, Salisbury Cathedral School and the University of Bristol. He lives in a village near Salisbury, heavily outnumbered by the violin-playing wife and their three daughters, none of whom have remotely inherited his passion for soccer or real ale!
Philip became Musical Director of the Romsey Singers in September 2016.
www.philiplawson.net
In 1982, Philip arrived in Salisbury to be the new Decani Bass Lay Clerk in the cathedral choir, and subsequently was appointed Director of Music at Chafyn Grove Prep School. He sang as a guest soloist with most of the local choirs, including The Romsey Singers, and joined this group on their tour of France in 1988, with his later-to-be wife playing violin in the accompanying string ensemble!
In 1993, Philip successfully auditioned for a place in The King’s Singers, replacing founder-member Simon Carrington, and so in January 1994 began a new life of full-time touring, recording and broadcasting. In 18 years singing with the group he performed in more than 2,000 concerts, co-presented over 300 choral workshops and appeared on 25 CDs, several DVDs and numerous radio and television programmes. After the departure of Bob Chilcott in 1997 he became the group’s principal arranger, contributing over 50 arrangements to the repertoire, including 10 for the 2008 album “Simple Gifts”, which went on to win the 2009 Grammy award for Best Classical Crossover Album.
Philip now has an arranging and consultancy deal with the American company Hal Leonard Corporation, and teaches in the vocal departments of Wells Cathedral School, Salisbury Cathedral School and the University of Bristol. He lives in a village near Salisbury, heavily outnumbered by the violin-playing wife and their three daughters, none of whom have remotely inherited his passion for soccer or real ale!
Philip became Musical Director of the Romsey Singers in September 2016.
www.philiplawson.net