Michael Harris was Organist and Master of Music at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh from 1996 until his retirement last month. Recognised in the New Year Honours list for services to music, Michael will receive an MBE after several decades of work in the cathedral music sector.
His music training began, like many, as a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, before studying at St Peter’s College, Oxford and the Royal College of Music in London. He held roles in Leeds and Canterbury before making the move over the Scottish border.
As part of his role at St Giles’, Michael was involved with numerous state and royal occasions, including the opening of Scottish Parliament in 1999. More recently he was involved in services of thanksgiving for the late Queen Elizabeth II, and to mark the Coronation of King Charles in 2023.
Cathedral Music Trust would like to put on record its thanks to Michael for his immense contribution to cathedral music over many years, and wish him well in his retirement.
Images: St Giles’ Cathedral by Mario Spencer; Martin Harris by Peter Backhouse
