Charles Cole began his musical training as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral. He went on to win a major music scholarship to Ampleforth and organ scholarships at Exeter College, Oxford and Westminster Cathedral. He is Assistant Director of Music at the Oratory and Director of the London Oratory Junior Choir which, in addition to its liturgical duties, provides the Children’s Chorus for the Royal Ballet’s productions at Covent Garden. He is Director of Music at St Philip’s School where he also directs the Schola and is also Deputy Organist at Westminster Cathedral.
In addition he is the Director of the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School, a world-famous boys’ choir, which sings the Vigil Mass at the Oratory every Saturday. Perhaps most widely known for its role on the soundtracks of major films such as the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series, the Schola has toured extensively, most recently to Rome and Spain. Recent concerts include Bach’s St John Passion, Monteverdi’s Vespers and a joint performance of Bach’s B minor Mass with the Choir of Westminster Cathedral.
Charles was involved in two of the papal liturgies on the occasion of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to London, conducting the brass in James MacMillan’s Tu es Petrus, commissioned for the Mass at Westminster Cathedral, and playing the organ for the Prayer Vigil at Hyde Park for a congregation of 80,000. Since 2011 he has been a Gregorian Chant Director at the Church Music Association of America’s annual Colloquiums in Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, and Indianapolis. He has also given choral workshops for choirs in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem.
Professor Patrick Russill is one of the leading figures in English church music.
He combines this with a busy freelance recital career and the post of School Organist at Westminster School.
Ivan Leung became our ninth Pettman organ scholar in September 2024.
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