Simon Nieminski  <sn@beer.com>
---------------


I studied initially with Nicholas Danby at the Royal College of
Music, where I gained their Associate diploma. I was then awarded
the Organ Scholarship of Pembroke College, Cambridge. After
graduating in music from Cambridge University in 1990, I was
appointed Organ Scholar of York Minster for two years, during which
time I became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. I left
York to become Assistant Organist of Dundee Episcopal Cathedral.

After returning to London, I was appointed Assistant Director of
Music at the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, in the City
of London, and Organ Tutor at Kingston University. St Bartholomew's was
the only medieval church to survive the Great Fire of London, and
may be familiar to some as the venue for the last almost-wedding in
"Four Weddings and a Funeral" and some scenes in "Shakespeare in
Love". In addition to playing and teaching, I regularly conducted
the professional choir (eight singers) of St Bartholomew's, and
other semi-professional choirs.

I have now returned to Scotland, as Assistant Organist at St Mary's
Cathedral, Edinburgh, which is unique in Scotland in maintaining
daily choral services, with the trebles drawn from its own choir
school. I am in the privileged position of being employed to
accompany (on a fine four-manual Father Willis) or conduct a
professional choir six days a week. I also write reviews and
articles on church and organ music, which have been published in
Organists' Review and the Musical Times.

My playing engagements have taken me around the United Kingdom, as
well as to Sweden, Holland, Germany, and most recently the United
States of America and Malta. I have also taken part in
masterclasses with Daniel Roth, Harald Vogel and Gillian Weir.

Although my repertoire is broad, I enjoy introducing unfamiliar
works of good quality to my audiences, and am continually seeking
music which deserves to be better known.