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Malcolm Archer

British musician

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Malcolm Archer FRCO (born 1952) is an English composer, conductor and organist. He was formerly Organist and Director of MusicatBristol Cathedral, at Wells Cathedral and at St Paul's Cathedral^[2] and Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College.

Education and personal life[edit]

Malcolm Archer was educated at King Edward VII School, Lytham before studying at the Royal College of Music (as a Royal College of Organists scholar). He was later organ scholaratJesus College, Cambridge. His organ teachers included Ralph Downes, Gillian Weir, and Nicolas Kynaston and he studied composition with Herbert Sumsion, Bernard Stevens and Alan Ridout.^[2]

Archer married Alison (an artist and musician) in 1994, and they have a son (b.1997) and a daughter (b.1999).

Career[edit]

First posts[edit]

Malcolm Archer's first posts were at Norwich Cathedral as Assistant Organist (1978–1983), and Bristol Cathedral (1983–1990) as Organist and Master of the Choristers which he left to spend time living and working in the US.

Wells Cathedral (1996–2004)[edit]

Archer was appointed Organist and Master of the ChoristersatWells Cathedral in 1996 where he directed and trained the Cathedral choir for its daily services in the cathedral, as well as being the musical director for Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society. In April 2000, he and choir members participated in a tour to North America, which included concerts in Ottawa, Ontario; Albany, New York; Richmond, Virginia; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Washington, DC; Lancaster, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; St. Paul, Minnesota; Chattanooga, Tennessee and Augusta, Georgia. He has made several recordings with the choir, including with the labels Hyperion Records and Lammas Records.

St Paul's Cathedral (2004–2007)[edit]

Malcolm Archer took over as organist and Director of MusicatSt Paul's from John Scott in 2004. He directed the choir for several important state services, including the service to celebrate the 80th birthday of Elizabeth II, for which he composed a special anthem.

Winchester College (2007–2018)[edit]

In August 2007 he took up a position as Director of Chapel Music and Organist at Winchester College, where he was in charge of the Winchester College Chapel Choir and the College Quiristers as well as teaching composition and the organ. Recordings with the choir include Stanford's choral music, Britten's A Ceremony of Carols, Three Wings (Warner Classics) and Mozart's Requiem, accompanied by the London Mozart Players. He left Winchester College in 2018.

Compositions[edit]

Archer has had over 250 compositions published. His major works include ‘Requiem’, ‘Vespers’, ‘Three Psalms of David’, ‘The Coming of the Kingdom’, the musical, ‘Walter and the Pigeons’, the one-act opera, ‘George and the Dragon’, ‘Sinfonietta’ for orchestra, ‘Concerto for Trumpet and Strings’ and ‘Sonata for Cello and Piano’. His choral works include:^[2]

Sexual abuse allegations[edit]

Archer was acquitted of indecent assault and indecency with a child by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court in 2019. At a hearing of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in July 2022, however, he was judged by the panel to have engaged in sexual activity with a pupil, while employed as assistant director of music at Magdalen College School, Oxford, between 1977 and 1978. The TRA heard evidence from the pupil detailing the sexual abuse. He received a prohibition order banning him from teaching in England, without the ability to apply for the order to be revoked.^[3][4][5]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Website of Malcolm Archer
• Printed Notes by OUP