Geoffrey Walker

Biography

After gaining the ARCO diploma at school, he read Music at Oxford University where his principal tutor was choral director and composer Bernard Rose. Postgraduate study followed at University College, London, then appointment at the London headquarters of the British Council with special interest in promoting international cultural understanding. For several years he was a member of the classical Indian ensemble ‘Sangitam’.

For much of his career Geoffrey Walker has been engaged in music education. From 1974 until 2000 he was Director of Music at Newcastle-under- Lyme School. His current teaching schedule includes Denstone College, where he is Chapel Organist and specialist in 6 th -form harmony/counterpoint . He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has been tutor in organ and harpsichord at Keele since 2005.

For twenty-five years Geoffrey has been an examiner for the ABRSM throughout Britain and in overseas tours, including China and Malaysia. In over thirty years as conductor of the Ceramic City Choir he prepared works for guest conductors including Sir Charles Groves, Sir David Willcocks and Richard Hickox. He also initiated pioneering collaborations which brought some rare performances of major choral works to the Victoria Hall Hanley and visits by distinguished choral composers.