Musical Director - Peter Parfitt
Peter Parfitt was educated at Bristol Cathedral School, where he received his early musical training as a chorister in the Cathedral Choir. At the age of sixteen he won a scholarship to the University of Durham, where he read Music and Latin and sang in the Cathedral Choir as a Choral Scholar, graduating from the Music Faculty with an honours degree. In 1987 he obtained his MMus. Following this, he spent 8 years as a Lay Clerk in the Choir of Winchester Cathedral. During this time, he appeared with the choir as a soloist on Radio 3. He also toured with the choir to Brazil, Australia and the USA and gave concerts in Paris, on London’s south bank, and at the Barbican, as well as on television and radio.
Peter held teaching posts at the Chorister School in Winchester, and positions as Director of Music in schools in Hampshire, London and East Sussex before taking up the post of Director of Music at St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen. Peter has directed a number of choral societies and operatic societies and appeared with many others as a soloist. He is an external examiner at A Level for the Oxford and Cambridge examinations board and also for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. He is also convenor of the Music Committee and the Scholarship Awarding Committee for the North East of Scotland Music School (NESMS).
Peter served for twelve years with Royal Naval Reserves, where he specialised in submarine data communications. Other interests include playing the organ, reading, gardening and cooking.
