Stephen Jones

Stephen Jones enjoys a rich and varied career as a musician of many talents. He won his first piano competition at the age of seven, sang in a close harmony quartet which appeared on TV and radio, sang in London’s cathedrals and the Queen’s parish church, St Peter’s Eaton Square, and as a tenor soloist specialised in Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, and has played piano, fortepiano, harpsichord, harmonium and organ in all the major London venues. For ten years Stephen worked for BBC Schools Radio as a scriptwriter, presenter and pianist.

In 1987 he founded the City Chamber Choir. The choir’s commitment to new music is reflected in their Composer in Association Scheme, now in its tenth year, and which supports composition students from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The choir is also privileged to have Cecilia McDowall as their president and Bob Chilcott as their patron. Highlights of the 2021-22 season’s programme included two performances of Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil in aid of Ukraine, and a first performance of Cecilia McDowall’s Good News from New England, commissioned by a member of the choir, and last season the choir collaborated with the Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra in a performance of McDowall’s Da Vinci Requiem.

In 1994 Stephen became Musical Director of Hertfordshire’s Aeolian Singers, with whom he has performed many of the choral orchestral classics. Of the many highlights, several are particularly memorable: the choir performed and then recorded a Christmas Cantata written by their president Peter Skellern; the choir won Making Music’s Vision and Creativity Award and a Composer in Residence from the Society for the Promotion of New Music; and in 2019 Stephen conducted a performance of Chilcott’s The Voyage in aid of Age UK’s Campaign to end Loneliness. Amongst the performers were three choirs, one of which was a St Albans based Youth Choir, and young musicians from St Albans School.

He is accompanist and assistant conductor of Goldsmiths Choral Union, a position he has held since 1978.

He is also Director of Music of Potters Bar United Reformed Church, a post that he has held since 2014, and where he organises a full programme of lunchtime recitals and concerts.

Stephen has taught for many years, first as a music specialist in schools, and then as a choral animateur for various organisations including the British Federation of Young Choirs and the BBC Singers Education Department, and now as a singing teacher at St Albans School and St Albans High School for Girls. Stephen continues to be a busy conductor, singer, accompanist, composer, teacher and performer.