Following the retirement of Dr. Eric Sweeney after his 27 year tenure as Organist and Director of Music of Christ Church Cathedral Waterford, we are delighted to announce the appointment of an organist of international standing as his successor.

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Simon Harden has held positions as Organist and Choir Director for more than 20 years, beginning during his undergraduate years at Trinity College Dublin. After graduating, he served as deputy organist in both St Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals in Dublin. Postgraduate studies in organ performance in Germany and France led to positions as Organist and Choir Director in several German churches before being appointed as Musical Director at the Anglican Church in Frankfurt in 2009. In 2015 Simon returned to Ireland to take up a lecturing position at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama. His duties there involve teaching the organ, conducting the Choral Society, giving academic lectures and supervising dissertations.

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During his professional career in Germany, Simon conducted several adult choirs and founded two children’s choirs. Through this work he gained much experience in recruiting young singers, musically directing adults and children and organising choir events.

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While in Berlin, Simon was involved with several choirs and gained valuable choral conducting insights. Supported by a number of scholarships, he studied in Dublin, Berlin, Hamburg and Paris. He is an international prize-winning organ recitalist and has enormous experience working with a wide range of musicians.

Through these contacts he is in a prime position to bring choirs to Waterford and hopes to develop a Waterford Organ and Choral Festival in the coming year.

 

He comments: ‘At Christ Church Cathedral Waterford, there is a long established choral tradition and a beautifully restored organ. I bring experience gained from studying and working abroad combined with my love for the Anglican tradition and believe that a sensitive and thoughtful approach to music, so as to compliment the liturgy, will see the tradition in Waterford continuing to thrive.’