Robert Jones, Director of Music
Robert Jones began his musical education at Trinity School, Croydon, also attending the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music as a pianist, where his harmony tutor was Robert Langston (Director of Music at St. Bride's, 1971-1988). As a result of this connection, he gave a lunchtime organ recital in St. Bride's in 1975. He then became a Music Scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, singing in the cathedral choir under Simon Preston and studying singing with David Johnston and organ with the late Nicholas Danby. He began his professional life as a Lay Clerk of St.George's chapel, Windsor Castle, and now pursues a busy career as a consort singer - he was a founder-member of the Tallis Scholars and works regularly with the Orlando Consort and the Gabrieli Consort, making award-winning recordings with all three groups. Highlights of his solo singing career include performances of "Messiah" in Birmingham Town Hall with the CBSO and works by Purcell in the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.Robert also maintains a lifelong interest in organ playing and choral directing; he has been Director of Music at St. Bride's since 1988 and also spent several years as guest conductor of the Surrey Heath Festival Chorus. He married Eleanor, a music teacher whom he met while she was at Somerville College, Oxford, in St. George's chapel, Windsor in 1981 - they continue to live in Windsor and have 4 sons - Edward (b.1984), a Music Scholar at Eton, Henry (b.1987), a Music Scholar at Uppingham, Alexander (b.1990), a chorister at St. John's College, Cambridge, and Orlando (b.1999).
