Our magnificent organ by Harrison and Harrison is one of the things we won’t be able to take with us when we vacate Leicester Cathedral for the forthcoming building works in January 2022. This year's Summer Organ Festival is the last last opportunity to hear the instrument in concert before 2024.
Alexander Binns is the Director of Music at Derby Cathedral. At the Cathedral he is responsible for the operation of Derby Cathedral Music Department and for directing the Cathedral Choir for services, concerts, broadcasts, recordings and tours. Prior to moving to Derby Alexander was Assistant Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
In 2015 Alexander graduated with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied the organ with Susan Landale and David Titterington, improvisation with Gerard Brooks, conducting with Paul Brough, choral conducting with Patrick Russill, harmonium with Anne Page and continuo with Terence Charlston. Alongside his studies Alexander held the position of Organ Scholar at Southwark Cathedral, the Royal Hospital Chelsea and St Marylebone Parish Church. During his gap year, he held the Organ Scholarship at St George's Chapel Windsor Castle, where he regularly accompanied and conducted the world famous Chapel Choir and played for many members of the British Royal Family, including at the celebrated Garter Day Service.
Described by the Organ Magazine as 'one of our finest young players', Alexander has performed at many prestigious venues including Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, St George's Chapel Windsor Castle, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, Snape Maltings and abroad in the Netherlands, Iceland, France, Poland, Ireland, Italy and Germany. He has also performed on RTE Television (Ireland) and BBC Radio. As an orchestral player Alexander has performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, has toured Europe with the European Union Youth Orchestra, and has worked under the batons of Marin Alsop, Gianandrea Noseda and Trevor Pinnock. He has played continuo with the Monteverdi String Band and has premiered works by leading composers Diana Burrell, Simon Lindley, David Fawcett and Lloyd Coleman. In 2015, Alexander co-founded the Apollon Duo, with his wife, violinist Dora Chatzigeorgiou, a violin and organ duo which aims to explore and promote repertoire for this seldom heard pair of instruments.