Kerry Beaumont

Kerry Jason Beaumont (born 5 April 1957) is a British organist and choir director.

Early life and training

Born in Cambridge, England, Beaumont later emigrated to Canada with his family.[1] He earned his undergraduate degree from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and also has a Master of Arts from Durham University.[1][2]

Career

Beaumont was Director of Music at the Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli, Pennsylvania, United States,[3] for seven years (1981-1988) before returning to the United Kingdom.

He then served as Organist and Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral in Wales from 1990 to 1994 and at Ripon Cathedral in England from 1994 to 2002[4] before being appointed Director of Music at Coventry Cathedral, a position he held from 2006 to 2020.[5][6] Upon his retirement from Coventry he was made Organist Emeritus of the Cathedral,[7] and the following year he was awarded the Cranmer Award for Worship by the Archbishop of Canterbury for his "outstanding service to music and worship ..., with particular reference at Coventry to outreach, recruitment and nurture of boy and girl choristers to create a cathedral choir with diversity at its heart".[8]

In 2021 he was appointed Director of Music at Holy Trinity Church in Leamington Spa.[9]

Recordings and concert performances

Beaumont's recordings as an organist and choirmaster are published by Priory Records,[10] Herald AV Productions and Cantoris Records. As a member of SOCAN (the Society of Canadian Composers, Authors and Publishers) he has published several hundred recorded compositions through the programme music libraries of Omnimusic[11] and the Parry Music Library.[12] Of his church music there are published titles by Encore Publications[13] and Banks Music Publications.

References

  1. ^ a b "Kerry Beaumont - Organ". Organix Concerts. 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Composers". Encore Publications. Encore Publications. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  3. ^ "PHILOMEL ENSEMBLE HAS BUSY WEEKEND" (fee required). Philadelphia Daily News. 26 April 1985. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  4. ^ "St Andrew and St David". Anglican Church Music. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  5. ^ "DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AT COVENTRY CATHEDRAL". Coventry Cathedral. Archived from the original on 8 October 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  6. ^ Rowat, Robert (6 March 2020). "Meet the new director of music at England's Coventry Cathedral". CBC. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  7. ^ Farewell to Kerry Beaumont, Coventry Cathedral, 14 October 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  8. ^ Congratulations to our former Director of Music Kerry Beaumont!, Coventry Cathedral, 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  9. ^ Leamington church appoints new director of music ahead of Christmas services Warwickshire World, 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Product Listing". Priory Records. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  11. ^ "Composer: Kerry Beaumont". Omnimusic. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  12. ^ "ARTIST SEARCH - Beaumont". Jet Set Records. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  13. ^ "Publications". Encore Publications. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
Preceded by
Malcolm Watts
 Organist and Master of the Choristers, St Davids Cathedral
1990 – 1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Organist and Master of the Choristers, Ripon Cathedral
1994 – 2002 		Succeeded by
Simon Morley
Preceded by Director of Music, Coventry Cathedral
2006 – 2020 		Succeeded by