Stuart McSweeney

Stuart is currently a Piano Tutor at Farnborough 6th Form College and is also a Counter Tenor at Guildford Cathedral in September 2010. Previous to this he was Music Director at All Hallows Church, Allerton, Music Lecturer at Riverside College, Runcorn and Counter Tenor at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

He spent his gap year in 2002/2003 furthering his education of the organ at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Montclair, NJ where he was Organist. Stuart returned to the UK and after studying Music at Liverpool University he graduated in the summer of 2006. During his time at University he was accompanist and then Director of the Liverpool University Singers Choir performing works such as Howell’s Requiem and Bruckner’s Ave Maria and Os Justi. Stuart conducted the choir for the BBC Radio Merseyside Christmas Concert in December 2007, for which they performed one of his own compositions.

Whilst in Liverpool Stuart has been heavily involved at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral having held the position of Organ Scholar (2003 – 2004), Choral Scholar (2004 – 2005) and, currently, Lay Clerk. He has participated in radio and television broadcasts as well as CD recordings as either an organist or as Counter Tenor in the Choir.

As an accompanist on the organ or piano Stuart has performed choral works including Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and Cherubini’s Requiem with The Oriel Singers. He accompanied fellow final year students at University whilst performing his final year recital at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, for which his performance received First Class Honours. His solo engagements as a Counter Tenor include Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Haydn’s Responsaries for Christmas Morning in a solo quartet and Bach’s St. John Passion. Recent solo performances include singing for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral’s Ash Wednesday broadcast on BBC Radio, for which he sang Alto for the solo quartet in Allegri’s Miserere.

Stuart is also a keen composer and arranger; he has around a dozen choral pieces to his name as well as barbershop arrangements, which have been performed at weddings and public events. He has also had a position as the lounge pianist at the Thistle Hotel in Liverpool.

As an organist he has given recitals in venues across the country including Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Portsmouth Cathedral, Our Lady’s, Fleet Methodist Church, Godalming Parish Church, Farnborough Abbey, St. Mary Redcliffe as well as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, NJ, USA. Stuart also plays the clarinet and saxophone and has been teaching himself drums, bass and guitar.

Stuart has been involved in fundraising for organisations such as The British Heart Foundation as well as The South West Thames Kidney Fund through conducting the Liverpool University Singers in carolling on two occasions whilst at Liverpool and, most recently, performing at organ recital and organising a Musicathon in Fleet.

His latest performances include a fund-raising organ recital in Fleet for the South West Thames Kidney Fund, performing Die schöne Mullerin with Paul Bambrough in Corsham, arranging/performing at the Swing Music Night at the Metropolitan Cathedral, playing keyboard with the Claire Phoenix Band in Guildford, singing Mass for the Armed Man live on S4C in Llangollen at Eisteddfod conducted by Karl Jenkins as well as singing with Winchester Cathedral Choir at Dorchester Abbey for an Oxford Children's Hospital fundraising carol concert.

Upcoming events include performing at Kington St. Michael and Guildford Cathedral for a series of Christmas carol concerts as well as accompanying Paul Bambrough (tenor) singing Winterreise in Corsham at the end of February 2011. Stuart is working towards his Piano diploma exam before studying for the ARCO organ exam.