Biographies
John Langridge – Musical Director
Brian Steer – Rehearsal Pianist
John Langridge – Musical Director
John Langridge was born in Surrey and began studying the piano when he was 8 with Evelyn Wibault At the age of 12, already accomplished as a pianist, John won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music. He then studied piano with Jana Frenklova and conducting with Denis McCaldin while taking his music degree at Lancaster University.
He has been responsible for a wide range of musical productions, working extensively in theatres in Surrey and the Theatre Royal in Winchester. In1987 he was appointed Live Music Producer for BBC Radio 2 producing music for the BBC Radio Orchestra, Concert Orchestra and Big Band. His productions included many of the Saturday Gala Concerts and 23 full-scale musicals, most notably a concert presentation at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies.
Since leaving the BBC in 1998 he has worked as a freelance recording producer and musical director, releasing a range of prestigious recordings through BBC Worldwide. In 2000 John became Head of Music at Bexhill College, remaining in this post until the end of 2005 when he was appointed Director of Music at Battle Abbey School, his current position. In 2003 John was appointed MD for Phoenix Choir. Since then he has taken Phoenix Choir through works including Purcell’s Ode to St Cecilia, Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and a range of works by Haydn and Mozart. Now living in Hastings, John is Director of Music for Battle Choral Society with whom he has conducted Elgar, Puccini, Handel and Bruckner.
Brian has been accompanying the Phoenix Choir for their rehearsals since September 2005. He has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working with such an enthusiastic and friendly band of singers, and of being directed with the Choir by such an outstanding conductor as John Langridge.
Brian learned the piano from the age of 9 and moved onto the organ at 14. This has become a life long passion for him, particularly historic baroque organs on the continent. With a group of similarly afflicted enthusiasts he has visited and played outstanding organs in France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Majorca. Minorca, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech and Slovak Republics, and twice across the Atlantic to New England and Philadelphia. In addition he is very fond of the harpsichord and owns a beautiful reproduction of an instrument made in Hamburg in 1716. He is also a keen singer and is a member of the twelve strong Renaissance Singers. He is assistant organist at St. Johns Church, Meads, Eastbourne. He is extremely lucky to have a very patient and understanding wife who lets him indulge his many musical interests.
Before retiring in 2006 Brian was a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at Eastbourne DGH and Uckfield Hospital, this has given him more time to devote to music, particularly as an organist.