Unlocking Musical Skills Through Creative Teaching - Kolkata
Julian McNamara was born in Hull, UK, and received his early musical training there and as a music scholar at Ampleforth College. Three organ scholarships followed: at St Michael’s College, Tenbury, New College, Oxford (where he read Music), and Manchester Cathedral. While at Manchester he undertook postgraduate organ studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, winning the prestigious Alice Shawcross Prize for his final recital. He concluded his post-graduate studies at the Geneva Conservatoire, Switzerland, at the same time holding posts as Organist and Choirmaster at the English Church and as Musical Director of the Geneva Amateur Operatic Society.
Returning to Manchester, he became Assistant Organist at the Cathedral. In addition to the usual assistant’s duties, he founded the Manchester Cathedral Girls’ Choir and was organ tutor at Chetham’s School of Music.
Performance engagements as organist or conductor have taken him throughout western and eastern Europe as well as to South Africa and Russia. He has made several broadcasts on BBC Television and on BBC Radios 2, 3 and 4.
Julian recently retired from full-time teaching, having been Director of Music at St Edward’s School, Oxford, the Oratory School, Woodcote, and Downside School and Abbey, Somerset. He continues to be active as an organist, conductor, composer, and arranger. He has been an ABRSM examiner for more than 25 years, touring throughout the UK and to Malaysia, Hong Kong, mainland China, the Faro Islands and the USA. This is his first trip to India and Nepal.