David Price - return to the 2023/2024 Season or Welcome
Programme
“Fugue on the Magnificat”
J S Bach (1685-1750)
Chorale Prelude “Wie schon leuchet der Morgenstern”
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
“Livre des Noels”
Louis Claude D’Aquin (1694-1772)
“An Old Christmas Carol and Variations”
Elizabeth Mounsey (1819-1905)
“Prologue et Noël varié”
Pierre Pincemaille (1956-2018)
“Prelude sur l’Epiphanie”
Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
“Carillon de Soissons”
Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
Biography
David Price is Organist and Master of the Choristers at Portsmouth Cathedral. Before he came to Portsmouth he was Assistant Organist of Ely Cathedral having previously held Organ Scholarships at Rochester Cathedral and Croydon Parish Church.
During his time at Ely he toured Germany, Belgium, Holland, Poland and the Czech Republic with the Cathedral Choir. The choir’s John Amner recording for Hyperion was critically acclaimed and was the Editor’s Choice in ‘The Gramophone’ music magazine. His work with the choir also led to performances with John Rutter, The Britten Sinfonia, concerts at Snape Maltings, John Tavener, The Parley of Instruments and The Royal Academy of Music. Whilst at Ely he pioneered the use of the building for twilight tours using music, drama and poetry.
Since David has been at Portsmouth the profile of the Cathedral's music has been raised to new heights through twenty international tours across Europe, numerous recordings, many flagship events with the Royal Navy and the City of Portsmouth as well as regular work for the BBC and ITV. The daily round of worship is now led by three cathedral choirs involving boy choristers, a dedicated team of Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars, girl choristers and a choir of mixed adults. The cathedral organ has been extensively refurbished and enhanced under his care culminating in the addition of a set West End en chamade Trumpets in 2017. In 2019 Portsmouth Cathedral Choir was highlighted in the BBC Music Magazine for their new CD of Advent and Christmas carols. Verbum caro.
David has just completed four terms on the Council of the Royal School of Church Music. He served two terms on the Association of English Cathedral’s Music & Liturgy Committee and a quinquennial on the Church of England’s General Synod.
The University of Portsmouth conferred David Price with an Honorary Doctorate of Music in recognition of the significant contribution he has made to the development of music at the Cathedral and for his contribution to the cultural life of the city. In 2013 he was elected to an Honorary Fellowship of the Guild of Church Musicians and presented with this at a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral and in 2021 was elected to an Honorary Fellowship with The Royal School of Church Music.
Recent recital venues for David include St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Wells Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral as well as Chambery Cathedral and Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps and Trinity Church, Copenhagen in Denmark. His St John Passion for Good Friday was published by Encore Publications in a series of the Gospel passions alongside John Scott, Philip Moore and Richard Lloyd.
He is married to Kitty and they live in an historic house in Old Portsmouth, though they can often be found with their dogs Minstrel and Albert, in their small retreat in The French Alps.