John Balsdon

B.Ed Hon.MBA P.G.Dip.StratManag FVCM FGMS FIAL(Lond) FRSA
Member of Council

John started his life in music with singing and piano lessons at the age of 6. Shortly after this he joined his local church choir in Portishead near Bristol. It was during these early years that he first sang in a cathedral – Wells – as part of an RSCM music festival. He won a choral scholarship to the cathedral choir at Gloucester where he was a chorister under Herbert Sumsion and John Sanders for four years.

Whilst at school there he continued with lessons in piano and ’cello. Throughout his life he has retained close contact with the life, work and music of the Cathedral at Gloucester which culminated last year with the publication of his book The Organ of Gloucester Cathedral – a story in Words, Pictures and Sound.

However John’s interest in music extends far beyond the world of the organ. He has a keen interest in making live recordings, sound engineering and production, having many historic recordings from Gloucester and the world of classical music in general.