MUSIC IN ST GILES’ CATHEDRAL
Music is an integral part of our worship offering. Led by Jack Oades, Organist and Master of the Music, each Sunday service is enhanced by a magnificent musical offering featuring our Cathedral Choir and splendid Rieger Organ.
The Rieger Organ
The present St Giles’ organ was built in 1992 by the Austrian firm of Rieger Orgelbau, in consultation with Herrick Bunney and Peter Hurford. The instrument, with its distinctive case of Austrian oak designed by Douglas Laird, stands in the South Transept.
THE CATHEDRAL CHOIR
The Choir of St Giles’ Cathedral is comprised of thirty singers drawn from a wide variety of walks of life from the City of Edinburgh and further afield.
They sing in both the 9:30am Holy Communion and the 11am Morning Service, under the direction of The Master of the Music, Jack Oades. The choir also sing on many special civic and national occasions, such as the Installations of the Order of the Thistle, the Kirking of the Parliament, and the Honours of Scotland service for King Charles III.
The choir also undertakes outside engagements and performances which include tours to other UK cathedrals, and an annual joint Evensong with the choirs of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral and Paisley Abbey. In 2004 the choir went on their first tour to the USA, and since then have performed regularly in Europe and North America. The choir have broadcast on many occasions over the years on both radio and television, including BBC Choral Evensong.
Services are livestreamed on YouTube at 9:30am and 11am each Sunday
Join St Giles’ Cathedral Choir
We are looking for experienced singers with confident sight-reading skills to join our Cathedral Choir.
OUR ORGANISTS
JACK OADES
Organist and Master of the Music
Hailing from Exeter in the South West, Jack Oades is an organist, composer, conductor and tenor. He read music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and studied a master’s in Composition at Trinity College, Dublin. Jack commenced his appointment as Organist and Master of the Music at St Giles’ Cathedral in January 2025. Previously, Jack has held posts in Cambridge, the Isle of Man, London and Dublin. Most recently, he was Organist and Assistant Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral from 2018-2022, and following that, Tenor Lay Vicar with the choir of Exeter Cathedral until December 2024.
As a composer, his works are published by the RSCM, Two Bridges Music and the Chichester Music Press, and his music is performed all over the world, including a number of broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 & 4. He was the winner of several composition prizes, and has been the recipient of many large scale commissions, including from the JAM on the Marsh Festival, Choir & Organ magazine, and the Whitgift Foundation. Alongside his prolific choral and organ writing, Jack has also written chamber, orchestral, and solo works, including two works for symphony orchestra and chorus. More recently, he has branched out into digital and ambient music, including scores and sound design for film and video games.
JORDAN ENGLISH
Assistant Organist
Jordan English began his musical training as a chorister at Carlisle Cathedral. During his time he took part in live radio broadcasts, tours and was involved in several CD recordings.
Jordan began organ lessons under the tutelage of John Robinson, the then Assistant Organist, continuing with Edward Taylor. After spending three years as Organ Scholar at Carlisle Cathedral, Jordan began undergraduate studies in 2011 at the Royal Northern College of Music where his tutors included Jeffrey Makinson, Simon Lindley and Thomas Trotter. Whilst at the RNCM, he took part in Masterclasses by Gordon Stewart, Jacques van Oortmerssen and Kevin Bowyer, played continuo for various RNCM events.
In September of 2016 Jordan began postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music in London, studying organ interpretation and improvisation with Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin and David Graham with lessons in London and Paris, specialising in the music of Marcel Dupré and Jehan Alain.
Jordan is currently Assistant Organist at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, accompanying the Cathedral choir for all services, recordings, broadcasts and tours.
Michael Harris
Michael Harris has retired as Master of the Music. If you would like to get in touch with him, please email info@stgilescathedral.org.uk
Friends of the music
The Friends of the Music is a registered charity (SC038128) which exists to support and promote the musical activities associated with St Giles’ Cathedral through:
Fostering contact between all those interested in the music of St Giles’
Increasing the use of St Giles’ as a venue for music activities by a broad variety of groups from the wider community
Increasing financial security in specified areas
Supporting special projects and exciting concerts in St Giles’
By becoming a member of the Friends of the Music you will greatly assist in this work, and will help us to add to the possibilities that St Giles’ offers as a venue for first-class music making. Work with us to support the work of the choir and the master of the music, commission new music by leading composers, and fund instrumentalists for services, concerts and special civic occasions.
The benefits of membership include:
Annual Friends of the Music Concert and Reception
Annual talk with visiting speaker
Twice-yearly newsletter as well as the quarterly Music at St Giles’ leaflet
Concessionary admission prices to Celebrity Organ Recitals
If you would like to know more, please contact Music@stgilescathedral.org.uk