Simon Preston

Simon Preston studied at King's College, Canford School and King's College School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is music composing, conducting and organ performance. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are classical. Distinctions recorded are Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

• Name — Simon Preston • Birth Name — Simon John Preston • Born — 4 August 1938 • Birthplace — Bournemouth, Dorset, England • Died — 13 May 2022 • Place of death — Littlemore, Oxfordshire, England • Occupation — Organist, conductor, composer • Years Active — 1958–2020 • Awards — Most Excellent Order of the British Empire CBE

Simon John Preston was born in Bournemouth, Dorset, England on 4 August 1938, to John Preston, an architectural draughtsman, and Doreen Lane. He was introduced to music at an early age. His uncle played the organ at the church that his family attended, and he was inspired to take up the instrument at the age of 5 after hearing a recording of George Thalben-Ball. He attended Canford School in Wimborne, Dorset and was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge, where he sang as a treble. He approached the college's music director, Boris Ord, for organ lessons but was referred to Hugh McLean. He later studied under Caleb Henry Trevor at the Royal Academy of Music before returning to King's College as organ scholar under David Willcocks. He first came to attention when he accompanied the college choir at the service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve in 1958. In 2012 he married Elizabeth Hays. In later life Preston suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Admired as "one of the most important English church musicians of his generation", he died at a care home in Littlemore, Oxfordshire, on 13 May 2022, aged 83.

• Illustration — Westminster Abbey in London, where Preston served as sub-organist in the 1960s and organist in the 1980s. Preston was sub-organist of Westminster Abbey from 1962 to 1967 and, after a brief period covering for Peter Hurford at St Albans Cathedral in 1968, became organist of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1970, where he also lectured. In 1981 he returned to Westminster Abbey, serving as Organist and Master of the Choristers until 1987. During that time he was responsible for the music at the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Preston left Westminster Abbey in 1987 to pursue a career as an international concert organist. He was artistic director of the Calgary International Organ Festival from 1990 to 2002, patron of the University of Buckingham, chair of the Herbert Howells Society and vice-president of both the Organ Club and the Organists’ Benevolent League. He also served as a member of the Arts Council music panel and the music committee of the BBC.

Simon Preston is recorded as conductor, composer, organist, choir director and harpsichordist. Career and activity. Preston worked in music composing, conducting, organ performance, composed musical work and music composition.