Brian Moles
Brian Moles is our gifted regular accompanist, and sometimes conductor, who also often accompanies us for our concerts. His lively sense of humour frequently brightens our rehearsals.
He is a Organist, Teacher, Singer and Composer, based in Portsmouth. Studying music as an undergraduate and postgraduate at Royal Holloway, University of London, he was both an Organ and Choral Scholar and, for a time, acting Director of Music of the Chapel Choir. For Many years he has had a diverse career, including posts of Assistant Organist at St David’s Cathedral in Cardiff, and Tenor Lay Clerk At St Albans Cathedral, all while maintaining a busy career as a teacher: teaching both class and as a peripatetic; and as a freelance musician - directing, performing, composing and singing with various choirs and musical groups.
He is currently Director of Music at St Mary’s Church in Portsmouth, where he leads the mixed voice choir, alongside a career teaching across the city. He also helps deliver a project working with local schools, Finding My Voice: a new partnership between church and school, to bring and deliver musical opportunities to young people in the city; as well as assisting with the Anglican cathedral’s choral outreach campaign.
His work as an accompanist has seen him play with a variety of different choirs and group and in various genres, from working with small chamber choirs to choral societies, across all ages and abilities. He has made several performances on both Radio and TV, most notably as accompanist on BBC Songs of Praise(recorded at St. Mary’s) and accompanying on a recent Choir of the Year. He is currently the accompanist for the Fareham Philharmonic and Salisbury Community Choirs.
As a musical director, he has also worked with a diverse variety of different musical groups and choirs: as MD for shows presented by young people in theatres in Portsmouth and Winchester, to helping direct the shows for the National Youth Music Camps, based in Milton Keynes. He helped conduct a performance of Fire by David Bruce, as part of the cultural Olympiad in 2012, with Jeremy Backhouse and the Salisbury Community Choir – which was broadcast on Radio 4 that same year.
His work as a composer is widespread, with a variety of different works for various different genres, and performed across the UK and abroad, with many pieces commissioned, composed and performed by cathedral choirs, choral societies, and mixed ability school choirs. His music and style has been described as “sympathetic and approachable, and yet musically interesting and often with a complexity that encourages and enthuses performers of all abilities, often allowing them to realise their potential.” Works extend from simple choral motets, to a full-scale symphonic Requiem. Recent works have included a mass setting written for Portsmouth Cathedral choir, a Te Deum and Jubilate commissioned by Peel Cathedral on the Isle of Man for their 40th Anniversary of their consecration. He has recently had works recorded and released professionally, including Most Glorious Lord of Life (Lumen Chamber Choir, 2017) and the Magnificat from the Fourth Service (Portsmouth Cathedral, forthcoming 2025).
Outside the busy world of music, Brian enjoys opportunities to cook, and explore the countryside with his family and dog.
