He is an organist, harpsichordist, choirmaster and teacher born Anthony John Cooke in Birmingham, England. He attended King Edward VI Aston School as a student and later a teacher and from 1948-49 he was the organist of St. Mary and St. Ambrose Church in Edgbaston. He went from there to Oxford to become an organ scholar at Keble College where he gained his Bachelor of Music, his MA and Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.
In 1953 He became a teacher at Highgate School and from 1955 to 1958 was the organist at St. Germain’s Church, Edgbaston. From 1958 to 1964 he was the organist at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Edgbaston and in 1964 he became Director of Music at Leeds Grammar School. During the 1960s he was also a member of the York Symphony Orchestra. With the YSO he performed as a soloist on works such as Bach’s “Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor”.
He was the choirmaster and church organist of St. Wilfred’s Church at Pool-in-Wharfedale until his retirement from the position in 2008 and has also performed with the Black Dyke Mills Band and the Huddersfield Choral Society and given organ recitals in Leeds. A member of the Incorporated Association of Organists, his work has featured on the album A Christmas Fantasy by the Huddersfield Choral Society .
Hudderfield Choral Society recordings
A Christmas Festival (Leroy Anderson )
Chandos 4541 (CD: A Christmas Fantasy)
Orchestra – Black Dyke Mills Band
Here is the Huddersfield Choral Society performing “O Come All Ye Faithful”…
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_John_Cooke
- http://www.yso.org.uk/concerts3.html
- http://www.answers.com/topic/a-christmas-fantasy?cat=entertainment
- http://www.leeds.gov.uk/discover/discovery.asp?pageno=&page=20031110_356182278&topic=20031110_154781521&subsection=20031118_700206936
- http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Church-chooses-boy-13-to.199432.jp
- http://www.iao.org.uk/charitable-activities/index.asp
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gbfyxqyjldje~T2