Biography

Simon Lole started his musical education as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. After reading music at King’s College, University of London and furthering his keyboard studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Simon returned to St Paul’s as Organ Scholar and as a teacher at the Choir School there.

In 1978 Simon was appointed organist and choirmaster at Barking Parish Church in Essex, and organist of St James’ Garlickhythe in the City of London. In 1980 Simon moved to Croydon Parish Church as organist and choirmaster where he started his long association with the Royal School of Church Music, then located at Addington Palace.

From 1985 until 1994 Simon was the first full-time Director of Music for the parish of Warwick. With the choir of St Mary’s Collegiate Church he made a number of recordings and many broadcasts. He formed St Mary’s Girls Choir and Collegium – the parish choral society. He took St Mary’s Choir on tours to Spain, Holland, USA and France and took the girls choir to France.

In 1994 Simon moved to Sheffield Cathedral as Master of the Music. He took the boys and men of the cathedral choir on a groundbreaking tour of South Africa – the first English cathedral choir to visit after the end of Apartheid. He formed the cathedral girls choir and helped to set up the Cathedral Arts Festival. Whilst in Sheffield, Simon was a regular conductor on BBC Radio’s “Daily Service” programme and was conductor of the Huddersfield Choral Society Youth Choir.