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A graduate of Auckland University New Zealand, Nigel has held numerous teaching positions in New Zealand. In 2008 he moved to the UK and was director of music at Mill Hill School, London, from 2011 – 2014. During his time as organist and director of music at St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Hamilton, New Zealand, Nigel composed music not only for the cathedral and college choirs which he directed but also for larger diocesan occasions such as the special service commemorating the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Moving to Wellington, New Zealand, in 1998, Nigel directed the Bach Choir of Wellington for seven years, presenting three major choral concerts each year. During this time he also chaired the regional committee of the New Zealand Choral Federation and directed two of their annual musical workshops. In 1998 First Baptist Church Kalamazoo commissioned Nigel to compose a festive cantata setting of the American folk hymn How Firm a Foundation to celebrate their new 54 stop pipe organ. In 2009 Nigel fashioned a chorale with three variations for organ from the cantata which led Professor Marilyn Mason at Michigan University to commission him to compose a set of variations on the traditional Irish hymn tune Slane, which was published by MorningStar Music in 2010. In 2018 The Lorenz Corporation contracted Nigel to write a series of short organ pieces based on seasonal hymn tunes. Volume one was published in 2019 and volume two is due for release in time for Christmas 2022. |