Mrs Charlotte O'Neill

Organist

Having gained her BA (Hons) at the University of Durham in England, Charlotte O'Neill went on to study singing with Lyndon van der Pump in London and Djoke Winkler-Prins in Rotterdam and led to performances in Italy and the USA. On her return to the UK she took her MA in Sacred Music at Liverpool Hope University, focusing on the development of shape note hymnody in the USA under Tassilo Erhardt. She then studied with Albert Clement at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, receiving her PhD in 2018. Her thesis on the evolution of the role of the church musician in Anglican cathedrals during the nineteenth century led her to the consideration of the role of women in church music. Her personal experience as the first female Director of Music in a 500 year old choral foundation further deepened her interest in this area. Charlotte is active as a choral and orchestral conductor in southern England and in her spare time plays euphonium with a local brass band.


Mr. Richard O'Neill

Assistant Organist

Richard’s musical career began with 5 years as a chorister at Westminster Abbey under Simon Preston and Martin Neary, followed by a music scholarship at Rugby School and a choral scholarship at Durham University. Although his career has not been in the field of music, Richard has performed regularly both in choirs (mainly with the London-based chamber choir Canticum) and as a soloist on the organ and as a singer, performing in the U.K., the Netherlands and the USA.


The Organ in Hawkhurst Church
2 Manual and pedals, with 20 speaking stops.
Was a Willis in 1957, then rebuilt by Nicholson in 1983, and updated by FH Browne 1990, and Peter Wells 1995.

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