Nicholas Freestone is Assistant Director of Music of Worcester Cathedral, where he is the principal accompanist of the Cathedral Choir and directs the cathedral’s Voluntary and Youth Choirs. He is accompanist to Worcester Festival Choral Society and is Organist of the Three Choirs Festival when it is held in Worcester.
Highlights of the 2024 Three Choirs Festival included accompanying the BBC Singers in concert (recorded for future broadcast by BBC Radio 3) and playing for the many choral services that run throughout the Festival, including a live BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong broadcast. Nicholas was organist for the Office of the Royal Maundy, held in Worcester Cathedral in March 2024 and attended by Queen Camilla. In 2023, he performed on the soundtrack to Netflix’s The Crown.
As a solo recitalist, Nicholas has performed at venues including Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and the St Albans International Organ Festival. As accompanist, he has collaborated with both the National Youth Choir and the Rodolfus Choir, and worked as organist on courses run by the Rodolfus Foundation and the Royal School of Church Music.
Nicholas has performed as organist, pianist and continuo player with ensembles including the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia. He has broadcast on BBC Television and Radio both as organist and conductor, and accompanied the Choir of Worcester College, Oxford on two recordings that were awarded the accolade of BBC Music Magazine ‘Christmas Choice’.
Nicholas is also an active choral director, working regularly with choirs in Worcestershire. He was an Associate Conductor of the 2019 Three Choirs Festival and conducted the City of London Sinfonia for the launch concert of their Fruit of Silence tour in October 2019. During the 2020 lockdown, his Worcester Voices project saw over 60 singers form a virtual community choir, producing 14 video performances accompanied by a variety of professional instrumentalists.
Prior to moving to Worcester, Nicholas held the post of Acting Sub-Organist at St Paul’s Cathedral, London. He accompanied and directed the world-renowned Cathedral Choir in their regular services and in concert, and performed at services of national significance, including the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service and the installation of the Bishop of London.
Nicholas has held Organ Scholarships at Tewkesbury Abbey, Wells Cathedral, St Albans Cathedral and Worcester College, Oxford, from where he graduated with a degree in Music in 2014.
