Daniel Cook (musician)

Daniel Cook (born 7 September 1979) is an organist, conductor and singer. He is Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey, where he is principal organist to the Abbey Choir and Assistant Director of Music to Organist & Master of the Choristers, James O'Donnell.^[1] Cook is Artistic Director of the Mousai Singers.

In 2017, Cook was appointed to the position of Master of the Choristers and Organist at Durham Cathedral, to take up office in Autumn 2017.^[2]

In 2013 Daniel Cook was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).

Education and early career

Daniel Cook's first organ teacher was Keith Wright, with whom he learnt at Durham Cathedral. After a gap year as Organ Scholar of Worcester Cathedral, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Nicolas Kynaston, James O'Donnell and Patrick Russill, whilst also working as Organ Scholar of Southwark Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Upon graduating (with first-class honours), he was appointed Assistant Organist of Westminster Abbey.

Career at Salisbury

In 2005, Daniel Cook was appointed Assistant Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral. During his time at Salisbury, Cook made his debut solo organ recordings with Priory Records, a recording company with whom he has released 14 solo CDs to date. Most of these have been made on the world-famous Father Willis Organ in Salisbury, whose digital sampling for the Hauptwerk organ software Cook oversaw. Alongside his duties at the cathedral, Cook also conducted The Farrant Singers and founded The Mousai Singers, a group which he still conducts.

Career at St Davids

Daniel Cook left Salisbury in 2011 to take up the posts of Organist & Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral and Artistic Director of the St Davids Cathedral Festival.^[3] During his time in St Davids, Cook was also Music Director of the Dyfed Choir.^[4]

Return to Westminster Abbey

In 2013, Daniel Cook was appointed Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey.^[5] To date, he has played the organ for several special services broadcast on BBC Television, including services of thanksgiving on the 70th anniversary of VE Day^[6] and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.^[7] Daniel has accompanied the Abbey Choir on a CD release of music by Hubert Parry on Hyperion, which includes his own arrangement of Blest Pair of Sirens.^[8]

Durham Cathedral

In March 2017, it was announced that Cook would take up the office of Master of the Choristers and Organist at Durham Cathedral in Autumn 2017. He succeeds James Lancelot, who held the position for 32 years.^[2]

Discography

Solo

• The Complete Organ Works of C.V. Stanford Volume 5 (Priory 2017)
• Abbey Spectacular! (Priory, 2017)
• The Complete Organ Works of C.V. Stanford Volume 4 (Priory, 2016)
• The Complete Organ Works of C.V. Stanford Volume 3 (Priory, 2016)
• The Complete Organ Works of George Dyson (Priory, 2015)
• The Complete Organ Works of C.V. Stanford Volume 2 (Priory, 2015)^[9]
• Great European Organs No. 91, St Davids Cathedral (Priory, 2014)
• The Complete Organ Works of Herbert Sumsion Volume 2 (Priory, 2013)^[10]
• The Complete Organ Works of C.V. Stanford Volume 1 (Priory, 2013)^[11]
• The Complete Organ Works of Herbert Sumsion Volume 1 (Priory, 2013)^[10]
• Great European Organs No. 85, St George's Church, Cullercoats (Priory, 2012)
• The Complete Organ Works of Herbert Brewer (Priory, 2011)
• Great European Organs No. 83, St Bees Priory, Cumbria (Priory, 2011)
• The Organ Music of Sir Walter Alcock (Priory, 2009)

Conductor

• The Feast of David St Davids Cathedral Choir (Priory, 2013)
• The Welsh Connection The Mousai Singers (Mousai Records, 2013)

Accompanist

• Finzi, Bax & Ireland (Hyperion, 2017)
• Parry: I Was Glad & other choral works (Hyperion, 2015)^[12]
• The Complete Psalms of David Volume 2 (Priory, 2012)
• Bernard Naylor – The Nine Motets (Priory, 2010)
• Christmas at Salisbury Cathedral (Priory, 2010)
• Best Loved Anthems from Salisbury (Priory, 2007)
• The Resurrection – McEnery (Priory, 2007)
• The Virgin Mary's Journey (Griffin, 2006)
• In Gloria Dei Patris (Cantoris, 2002)

References