John Pennington

John Pennington studied organ with Ian Hare and then continued with Nicholas Danby at the Royal College of Music, earning a BMus (Hons) and multiple diplomas including ALCM, ARCM, ARCO, and DipRCM. He received the Geoffrey Tankard Prize for organ playing and an early music prize for clavichord technique. He later completed a PGCE before embarking on a career in secondary music education. John began his professional career as Assistant Director of Music and Organist at Worth Abbey School, West Sussex and then at St. Peter's School, York.

He became Director of Music at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham St. Annes from 2006-2012 and was the Musical Director for the KEQMS Community Choir (now known as the Lidun Singers).

In September 2012 John became Director of Music at The King's School, Gloucester (The Cathedral School) where he enjoyed directing an enormous variety of choral and instrumental groups including Barbershop, Swing Band, Orchestra and various school choirs. In addition, John has enjoyed touring abroad with many talented students to Cathedrals and venues around Europe and America.

The Kings school, with its fine choristers and superb cathedral acoustics, provided for many memorable directing experiences including Requiem by Matthew Coleridge and Prayer for St. Benedict by Bob Chilcott in the presence of both composers.  John has conducted many well-known choral works by composers including Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Faure, Rossini, Rutter, Jenkins and Whitbourn.  He has a particular interest in the 20th Century English choral tradition enjoying music by composers such as Howells, Parry and Stanford. 

John retired in August 2025 and returned to the Fylde Coast to pursue freelance work as a conductor, organist and composer. He has served as Choir Director and Organist at churches across London, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Lancashire and at present is Organist at St. Peter’s Church, Fleetwood.

In his spare time, John enjoys walking, cycling and driving along an ‘open road’ …. with his caravan in tow!