Mark Shepherd

Louis VIERNE (1870-1937)
Allegro Maestoso from Troisiéme Symphonie Op. 28

Pierre COCHEREAU (1924-1984)
Nine Improvisations sur les versets de Vêpres (1963) (with plainchant interpolations)

J S BACH (1685-1750)
Toccata and Fugue (Dorian) BWV 538

Louis VIERNE
from Pièces de Fantasie:
Clair du lune
Toccata in Bb minor

Mark Shepherd read Music at Oxford University, and was Organ Scholar of Exeter College, studying with Nicolas Kynaston and David Sanger. He held a number of Church and Cathedral Appointments thereafter, including posts at Tewkesbury Abbey, Lichfield Cathedral and St Mary’s Warwick. In 1998 he became conductor of Schola Cantorum of Oxford, touring extensively with the choir and releasing a number of acclaimed recordings. In 2001 the choir toured Japan, winning the international choral competition in Osaka. At that time he was an Academic studies Lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music, before taking up an appointment as Director of Music at Wycombe Abbey School. He has been Director of Music at Charterhouse in Surrey, one of the UK's top private schools.

He continues to be busy both as a player and conductor, giving regular recitals and directing Oxford Voices, a young professional choir of between 16 and 25 singers. The choir enjoys a high profile particularly in France where it has given over 100 concerts in the past ten years, and will be performing in a number of Festivals in summer 2009.