Hereford Cathedral shared news that Canon Geraint Bowen will retire from the post of Organist & Director of Music in February 2026.
Geraint became Director of Music in 2001 following the retirement of Dr Roy Massey. His principal task has been to direct the cathedral choir at the eight choral services a week sung during term time but during his time at the cathedral, he has also taken the choir on eleven international tours. These have included six visits to the USA and one to South Africa, an invitation to sing with the Sistine Chapel Choir at the Vatican and the 75th and 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day in Normandy. Under his direction the choir has made several well-received CD recordings and has broadcast many times on national television and radio including regular appearances on BBC Radio 3’s Choral Evensong. He has been the artistic director and festival conductor at eight Hereford Three Choirs Festivals and conducted over 70 concerts with Hereford Choral Society.
The creation of opportunities for young people has been a consistent theme during Geraint’s tenure with the recruitment of over sixty gap-year choral and organ scholars over the past 15 years, many of whom now work as professional singers or hold senior organist positions in cathedrals across the country. He has also appointed over a hundred choristers during this period and was delighted in 2022 to be able to welcome the first intake of girl choristers, offering them equal opportunities to sing in the cathedral choir alongside the existing boy choristers. A distinctive part of the musical offering at the cathedral during his tenure has been the introduction of biennial performances by the cathedral choir of Bach’s St John Passion, St Matthew Passion and Christmas Oratorio, and three cycles of liturgical performances with orchestra of Haydn’s last six masses.
The Very Revd Sarah Brown, Dean of Hereford, said:
‘Whilst we are understandably sad at the thought of saying goodbye to Geraint in February, we can be reassured by the fact his leadership has created an outstanding music department which forms the very heart of worship in this cathedral church, and will continue to do so. Geraint and Lucy have been a pivotal part of this community for almost twenty-five years and, whilst their absence will be felt deeply by so many, we wish them a truly wonderful retirement. In the meantime, I look forward to the next five months as Geraint leads us through the seasons of Remembrance, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas with his customary flair.’
Canon Geraint Bowen, Director of Music, said:
‘In a role which has so many different moving parts there is never a good time to leave, but following a glorious Three Choirs Festival at Hereford this summer, I feel that now is the right time to for me to retire and give someone else the opportunity to lead the music in this magnificent place. It has been the privilege of my life to hold this post for the past 24 years: I have been so lucky to work in such a positive and collaborative environment over all this time alongside colleagues who have become lifelong friends, and to witness the start of so many musical careers. I know that my successor will join an incredibly strong team here and I look forward to seeing, and hearing, what this next chapter brings to the music of Hereford Cathedral.’
Geraint’s final services will take place in February 2026, and more details will be shared in the coming weeks.
