Ripon Cathedral - here for us all

The Music Department

The Music Department of Ripon Cathedral has a busy and varied life: as well as its central role in providing music for the Cathedral's daily services, it organises concerts and many other musical events in Ripon and further afield. The department consists of two full-time professional musicians, both of whom are experienced organists and choir-trainers. You can find out more about them below.

Andrew Bryden - Director of Music

Andrew Bryden was appointed Organist and Director of Music of Ripon Cathedral in November 2003 having previously been Assistant Organist and Director of Music at Ripon Cathedral Choir School since 1998.

He studied music at Aberdeen University as an Organ Scholar, specialising in performance and editorial techniques and following cathedral and church appointments in Aberdeen and Sheffield was appointed Organ Scholar of Canterbury Cathedral in 1994. He combined this with the post of Organist and Head of Academic Music at St. Edmund's School, Canterbury.

As an accompanist and recitalist Andrew has played at many of the major venues in the United Kingdom, and has undertaken tours to Holland, Germany, Austria and North America. He has broadcast on both BBC and independent radio and television and has made a number of CD recordings on various labels.

As Director of Music, his work with the Choirs of Ripon Cathedral has received widespread acclaim, and has included three CD recordings which have been highly recommended by critics.

Edmund Aldhouse - Assistant Director of Music

Edmund Aldhouse began his musical training as a chorister at Manchester Cathedral, studying the piano from an early age and taking up the organ as soon as he was tall enough! He was educated at Chetham's School of Music and Manchester Grammar School, and held the Organ Scholarship at Pembroke College Oxford, graduating in 2001 with First Class Honours in Modern Languages.

Having been appointed Organ Scholar at Chichester Cathedral in 2001, he became Sub-Organist of Rochester Cathedral the following year, where he directed the Girls’ Choir.

He has performed widely as an accompanist and recitalist in venues in the UK, France, the Netherlands and the USA, as well as on CD and numerous broadcasts. His strong interest in French organ music led him to study repertoire and improvisation with Frédéric Blanc in Paris in 2000, and inspired him to return to France in 2006 to study with François-Henri Houbart at the Conservatoire in Rueil-Malmaison, where he obtained a unanimous Premier Prix de Virtuosité in 2008.

He has been Assistant Director of Music at Ripon Cathedral since January 2009, where he plays for most of the daily services and works regularly with the Cathedral Choir. Increasingly in demand as a recitalist, teacher and conductor, Edmund is also Musical Director of Harrogate-based chamber choir Vocalis.

Concert organisers are asked not to reproduce the biography above without prior permission.