Nicholas White, Music Director

Nicholas White’s musical career has evolved over a period of more than twenty years spent in the United States. He is a Grammy nominated composer and conductor, as well as a versatile organist, pianist, and singer, with experience in many different styles of music. In 2011, Nicholas was appointed to the post of Director of Chapel Music & Organist at St. Paul’s School, Concord, New Hampshire, where he resides with his wife, the cellist Kate Jensik, and their young son, Eliot. In addition to his leadership role with the choirs and music of the chapel, Nicholas is also Head of the Arts Department at St. Paul’s.

Nicholas has given many performances throughout the United States and is in great demand as a composer. He has a steady stream of commissions from musical organizations across the world. Immediately prior to his appointment at St. Paul’s, he was Artistic Director of Joyful Noise (Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus), a choral organization based in Northwest Connecticut, and Organist & Choirmaster of St. John's Episcopal Church, Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. Nicholas was born in London, England, and received his early musical training as a treble chorister. He held his first organist and choirmaster position at the age of fifteen, going on to become organ scholar of Clare College, Cambridge, from 1986-1989. Since coming to the U.S. in 1989, Nicholas has held various positions in churches, colleges, and schools. These include Washington National Cathedral (Assistant Organist & Choirmaster), Cathedral Choral Society (Keyboard Artist), and Woodley Ensemble (Music Director) in Washington, DC; St. Michael’s Church (Organist & Choirmaster), Dalton School (Choir Director), and Columbia University (Adjunct Organist) in New York City. 

In 2003 Nicholas founded Tiffany Consort, an ensemble of eight accomplished singers. The group's first CD, "O Magnum Mysterium," was nominated for a Grammy, and the second CD, "In Sure and Certain Hope: Choral Music of Nicholas White," was released in December 2006. Both recordings are available on the MSR Classics label. His all-Bach organ recording – “The Amsterdam Bach” – is available on the Pro Organo label. His work is also represented on the Gothic, Raven, Meridian and Gamut labels.

Nicholas is an active and critically acclaimed composer, with music published by Hinshaw, Trinitas, Augsburg Fortress, Mark Foster, and Oxford University Press. His large-scale work for solo soprano, chorus, organ, brass, and percussion---Magnificat"—was premiered at the National Cathedral in 1997, and was performed in a newly orchestrated version in May 2009. Other commissions include "Full Freedom," a piece for multiple choirs, instrumentalists and dancers, written for the annual choral tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in January 2002 at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC.  Most recently, Dumbarton Concerts (Washington, DC) commissioned Nicholas to write a setting of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven,” which was received last month to great critical acclaim. One critic said, “I can't remember a more enjoyable evening of music making. For anyone who loves both instrumental and vocal chamber music, it was an evening of sheer heaven.”

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Mr. White has decided to step down as the Music Director at the end of the 2017-2018 season due to the demands of his full-time position at St. Paul’s School, Concord, NH, and his increasing commitments as a composer.

A search committee has been formed and recruitment for a new music director is under way. Updated information will be available throughout the search process on this website.