Director of Chapel Music

Louisa Denby MA MMus PGDip LRSM CRCO

Louisa Denby has been Director of Chapel Music & Organist at St Edmund’s since 2015. She is also Director of Music at Downing, as well as Director of Studies in Music at Downing, Peterhouse, and St Edmund’s. She leads a varied professional life, dividing her time between her College roles, lecturing for the Music Faculty, and supervising undergraduates in an array of disciplines including tonal composition, practical skills (including jazz), and Music & Science. She is also undertaking research into the social and cultural history of wind chamber music in post-war Britain, presenting papers at international conferences in both the US and the UK this year.

Outside the University Louisa has a major role as CEO & Artistic Director of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain. She is also involved in a number of widening participation schemes in this sphere and that of choral music, the latter as part of her role as Co-ordinator of the Intercollegiate Choral Awards Scheme for the University of Cambridge.

As a bassoonist, organist, and conductor, Louisa has performed across the UK, Europe, and North America, including live radio broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and Canadian National Radio. She has also featured on several commercial recordings for Priory Records and others, and regularly performs chamber music with Ian Tindale (piano) and Peter Facer (oboe).

Louisa is always delighted to hear from anyone in the Eddie’s community who is interested in singing. She can be contacted via chapel.music@st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk.