Organist and Master of Music
Jack Wilson
Born in Londonderry in 1998, Jack began his musical training as a chorister of the Cathedral Church of St Columb, Londonderry. He began piano lessons at the age of 6 with the locally respected jazz musician and teacher Roy Mitchell, latterly progressing to begin organ studies at the age of 16. He studied at Limavady Grammar School, and is a graduate of The Queen’s University of Belfast where he read music, being awarded the May Turtle Scholarship for future academic study. In 2020 he completed the MMus in Choral Studies at the University of Cambridge, in conjunction with holding the post of Graduate Organ Scholar at Sidney Sussex College, and Organ Scholar of the St John’s Voices. Jack is also an Associate of the Royal College of Organists.
Jack has held the posts of Organ Scholar, Acting Assistant Organist, and most recently Assistant Director of Music of the Cathedral Church of St Anne, Belfast, where he was principal accompanist for all Cathedral Services.
Jack has broadcast live several times on BBC Radio 4 and Radio Ulster, also live on BBC One, playing for the funeral service of the murdered journalist Lyra McKee. In September of 2021, Jack moved to take up the position of Graduate Organ Scholar at Ely Cathedral, where he shares in the playing for the Cathedrals 8 weekly choral services, combined with training the Girl Choristers. He also taught music, both Junior and Senior, at the Kings School, Ely.
In May of 2023, Jack returned to Belfast Cathedral as the Organist and Master of Music. Here he has oversight of the Cathedral Music Department, including the role of principal conductor for all choral services, and the responsibility of leading and training those within the Cathedral Music Department.
Currently, Jack studies the organ with the renowned Liturgical and Concert Organist Richard Hills, as a composer, he is published with Encore Publications, and he is the owner of a 1973 MG Midget called Margot.
Sub-Organist and Assistant Master of Music
Jack McCabe
Jack is a native of Northern Ireland, who first played the organ at Killinchy Parish Church, in Co Down. He was tutored, under the Down, Dromore and Connor Organ Scholarship Scheme, by Mr Michael McCracken, Organist of Down Cathedral.
On achieving top grades in his A Levels, Jack studied music at Cambridge University, where he was awarded organ scholarships at Queen’s College, and with the St John’s Voices. During his training at Cambridge, Jack studied organ with Jeremiah Stephenson, organist at All Saints’, Margaret Street in London, and was tutored in keyboard skills at Cambridge by Dr Francis Knights. With a particular love for the French organists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, including Franck, Duruflé, Guilmant and Dupre, Jack had the opportunity to participate in the Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies residential at Moulin Cathedral in France, under the tutelage of Alexis Droy.
Further opportunities were given to Jack as the organ accompanist for college tours to Como Cathedral in Italy and St Nichols’ Basilica in Amsterdam. Nearer to home, Jack also accompanied the notoriously demanding William Walton’s “The Twelve” at Queen’s College and on occasion, he took responsibility for leading services with the St John’s Voices at the Chapel of St John’s College.
Upon graduating, Jack was appointed organ scholar to Worcester Cathedral, under the guidance of their Director of Music, Samuel Hudson. Here Jack had particular responsibilities for the Voluntary Choir and for Friday Evening Choral Evensong at Worcester. Highlights for Jack from his year at Worcester Cathedral, included singing with the Three Choirs Festival Chorus for a week of concerts in Hereford Cathedral, accompanying the choristers for Handle’s Zadok the Priest, and deputizing for the Assistant Director of Music in a chorister trip to Llandaff Cathedral to sing for a television production of “Young Sherlock”!
In September 2025, Jack was appointed to the post of Organ Scholar at Peterborough Cathedral. Here, working under Chris Strange, Acting and now recently appointed Director of Music at Peterborough (to whom we send our heartfelt congratulations!), he had particular responsibility for training the probationer choristers learning the basics of music theory and liturgy. This demanded not only a high level of musical competence, but also a lively sense of fun. At Peterborough, Jack has had further responsibility for training the junior choristers.
In addition to his enthusiasm for French Organists, Jack also has a love for organist’s of the English Romantic School, including Elgar, Howells and Whitlock.