Dr Simon Lindley 1948-2025

It is with deep sorrow that we learnt of the passing on Tuesday, February 25 of Dr. Simon Lindley, who served as Organist and Master of the Music from 1975 until 2016.

Dr. Lindley was one of the finest British organists of his generation, and renowned for his impassioned advocacy and practice of Church Music. His influence at Leeds Parish Church (as Leeds Minster was then known), but also within the wider musical community of Leeds and his beloved West Riding, was profound and enduring. A colourful – some might say technicolor – character, he leaves behind a legacy marked by lives enriched through his music-making and generous friendship, along with many cherished memories and anecdotes.

During his tenure, the Choir of Leeds Parish Church maintained a schedule of Daily Evensongs well into the early 2000s. The choir gained significant recognition, including broadcast performances of Choral Evensong on the BBC and appearances on Yorkshire Television. He maintained an extensive current repertoire, enhancing it with a range of commissions from the likes of Dr Francis Jackson and Philip Moore, and by championing neglected works, such as William Lloyd Webber’s The Saviour.

Dr. Lindley was also an indefatigable promoter of Church Music through the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and played a pivotal role in reviving the Yorkshire Three Choirs Festival alongside Ripon and Wakefield Cathedrals.

As an organist, Dr. Lindley arrived in Leeds with a high reputation, enhanced within months by an acclaimed performance of the Elgar Sonata at a BBC Prom. Alex Woodrow, the current Director of Music, recalls more recent performances of the Elgar and Reubke Sonatas as among the finest live organ renditions he has ever heard. He was also a supremely sensitive accompanist.

His exceptional talent and charismatic promotion of the organ cultivated a dedicated following across West Riding. In his roles both at Leeds Parish Church and as Leeds City Organist, he inspired, supported, and encouraged organists of all skill levels. Although he could be demanding with his assistants, many went on to secure prestigious Cathedral positions where they continue to thrive.

He was President of the Royal College of Organists from 2000-2003, and of the Incorporated Association of Organists 2003-2005. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Leeds Polytechnic in 2001 and a similar distinction from the University of Huddersfield in 2012. He held the position of Secretary of the Church Music Society from 2001 right up to 2024, enabling the research and publication of numerous scholarly editions of, in particular, Renaissance and Restoration repertoire.

As Choirmaster, Dr. Lindley nurtured young singers, enabling them to achieve high standards of sight-reading and performance while fostering their musical and personal confidence. He balanced rigorous demands for discipline and dedication with astute and compassionate pastoral support, as attested by generations of choristers, students, volunteer singers, assistant organists, and scholars. His unwavering commitment to the education and development of his younger charges significantly enhanced their prospects, often starting from humble beginnings.

Under his leadership, St. Peter’s Singers—a mixed adult chamber choir founded with his close friend Harry Fearnley—flourished, providing opportunities for talented singers for whom the church choir was not an option. This ensemble revitalized the performance of major sacred works such as Bach’s Passions and Mass in B Minor, Handel’s Messiah, and other oratorios within the church setting, as well as some adventurous programming of works such Dr Francis Jackson’s A Time of Fire.

In his retirement, Dr Lindley maintained a keen interest in the progress of both choirs. The imminent release of the first-ever recording of Lloyd Webber’s The Saviour by the current Minster Choir and St Peter’s Singers under Alex Woodrow was a source of great joy to him, but was probably surpassed by news of the formation in the near future of a Children’s Choir.

The son of an Anglican priest, Dr. Lindley was highly literate in both liturgy and hymnology, and brought a profound understanding of and personal commitment to the Christian faith, a faith enriched by a deep humanity. This was evident in his discerning selection of service music and in the integrity with which it was prayerfully performed as acts of worship. For Dr. Lindley, the meaning and nuance of a phrase in a Psalm held equal importance, whether performed at a Tuesday Evensong with no congregation present or at a major festival or civic service. Hymns were chosen and rehearsed with as much care as an anthem, and so the bonds forged with singers through music-making often became indistinguishable from the bonds of shared faith.

While Dr. Lindley was known to be strong-minded and occasionally challenging to work with, he will be remembered foremost, even by many of those with whom he crossed swords, for his extraordinary generosity of spirit. His encouragement, time, and support were selflessly given to singers, organists, instrumentalists, and others who collaborated with him. His legacy endures not only in the ongoing music-making and contribution to Church Music of for those with whom he worked closely, but also in the brief yet treasured moments of musical connection or kind words that he shared with so many more. Tributes and memories shared across social media testify to the extraordinary impact he had on countless lives.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Photo by Niki Roach