Composers: Sharpe, Robert (1971 - )

Sharpe, Robert (b Lincoln, 14 November, 1971)

Born in 1971, Robert received his earliest musical training with his great uncle. He later studied organ and paperwork with Roger Bryan at Lincoln Cathedral, and piano with Geoffrey Smith.

In 1989 he became Assistant Organist at Newark Parish Church having previously spent a year directing his own small parish choir in Branston, Lincolnshire. Whilst at Newark he toured with the choir to Germany as accompanist and soloist. In the same year he was pre-elected to the Parry-Wood Organ scholarship at Exeter College, Oxford. The year 1990-1 was spent at St Albans Cathedral as organ scholar, working with Dr Barry Rose, and the cathedral choir.

While at Oxford he toured both home and abroad with the choir of Exeter College, and with the choir of Christ Chuch Cathedral School. He continued his organ studies with the late Nicholas Danby and later David Sanger. He has given recitals in numerous venues in all parts of the country.

After graduating with a degree in music in 1994, he came to Lichfield Cathedral as Assistant Organist. Since then he has featured with the Cathedral Choir on BBC Radio and Television, including a highly-acclaimed live broadcast of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, 1995 and a series of live broadcasts in 1998. He was featured on both Nimbus and Lammas labels as soloist and accompanist to the choir, and his recording Sounds Majestic, made on the Cathedral organ before its rebuild by Harrison and Harrison in 2000, has won praise from critics and listeners alike.

Robert combined his work at the Cathedral with freelance playing and teaching, in particular as tutor in Organ at Shrewsbury School, and accompanist to the Birmingham Bach Choir, working with Paul Spicer. In September 2002 he took up his new post as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Truro Cathedral.