Martin Ford

Organ professor

Martin Ford is the Acting Sub-Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Organist & Director of Music of The Royal Military Chapel (The Guards’ Chapel) in Westminster, and a Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music.

Martin read Music at Oxford University, graduating with a first-class degree in 2008, before continuing his studies on the Masters programme at the Royal College of Music. He has held organ scholarships at Southwark Cathedral and Magdalen College, Oxford, the positions of Assistant Organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields (2009-2011) and Westminster Abbey (2012-2015), and Acting Sub-Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (2018-19). He has given solo recitals in venues including the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, as well as accompanying numerous broadcasts on BBC radio and television. Particular highlights include playing for the service of celebration marking the 60th anniversary of the coronation at Westminster Abbey, attended by Her Majesty the Queen and broadcast live on television, as well as accompanying the choir of Westminster Abbey in appearances as part of David Starkey’s BBC documentary Music and Monarchy. At St Paul’s Cathedral, Martin appeared in the 2024 Celebrity Recital Series, and in 2022 he performed Olivier Messiaen’s nine-movement masterpiece for solo organ, La Nativité du Seigneur.

As an accompanist, Martin appears regularly in recitals with a variety of solo singers, as well as playing for larger ensembles, such as the Vasari Singers and the Trinity Boys Choir. His discography includes releases on the Harmonia Mundi and Naxos labels. Notable recent releases include Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Finzi’s In terra pax with baritone soloist Roderick Williams.

Photo credit: Marc Gascoigne.

Faculties / departments: Keyboard