Biography

Richard Lowe, a native of Cheshire, received his first musical education as a treble in the Manchester Cathedral Voluntary Choir and later Sir John Deane’s College in Northwich where he was college organist. Richard graduated with an honours degree in Theology from Oxford University in 2002. Whilst in Oxford, Richard was, for a time, organ scholar at Westminster College, Oxford, and later sang in the Chapel Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, with its reputation as Oxford’s finest mixed chapel choir; performing in many venues internationally. With the Queen’s choir he also recorded on the Guild Label. He has been a countertenor lay clerk in the choir of Manchester Cathedral and was, until 2004 director of the St. Oswald’s Church Choir in Lower Peover. In 2004 became Director of Music at Christ Church, West Didsbury, Manchester, where he also coordinates the church’s active concert programme. In September 2005, Richard became organ adviser for the Diocese of Manchester and in 2007 became one of the 3 resident organists of The Manchester Crematorium Ltd until they were replaced with a computer in 2016! Since 2014 he has been organist and curator of the Cavaille-Coll organ at Manchester Town Hall and chairman of the Manchester Cavaille-Coll Organ Foundation, leading the organ’s £1.5m restoration. Richard Is owner of Soterios Design & Print,  specialising in design and printed media for churches, and is co-director of Cotswold Hybrid Organs – UK specialists in design and build of pipe/digital hybrid organs. Richard is a deputy ley clerk with the choir of Liverpool Anglican cathedrals and can often be found at the console of ‘The Mighty WurliTzer’!