The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford
 |  |  |  |  |  “[The Choir] sings with an intensity suitable to the intimately sensuous nature of the work.” (The Observer 5*) |
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People
Informator Choristarum, Mark Williams
Mark Williams has been Informator Choristarum, Organist and Tutorial Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford since January 2017. Magdalen College is the only institution to retain the ancient title of Informator Choristarum for its Director of Music, and holders of the post since the College’s foundation in 1458 include the composers John Sheppard, Daniel Purcell and Bernard Rose, and organists Sir John Stainer and Sir William McKie. Under his leadership, the Choir introduced the first female Academical Clerks in its history and, for five years, Mark oversaw a project to replace the Chapel’s organ with a new four-manual instrument by Hermann Eule Orgelbau of Bautzen, Germany, which was unveiled to wide acclaim in January 2023. Mark studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was for six years Assistant Organist of St Paul’s Cathedral and Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral School. Between 2009 and 2016, he held the post of Director of Music, College Lecturer and Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Mark has appeared as organist, harpsichordist and conductor internationally and on disc with many of the UK’s leading ensembles, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cambridge Singers, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The King’s Consort, The Sixteen, Arcangelo, Retrospect Ensemble, and the Gabrieli Consort and Players. As a conductor he has worked with the Britten Sinfonia, London Mozart Players, Saraband Consort and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and he is the Principal Guest Conductor of the City of London Choir. Mark has given solo recitals, judged competitions and led masterclasses in choral training, singing and organ performance in the UK, the USA, Asia and Africa. He appears on over 40 discs and a number of soundtracks. A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, he is a Freeman of the City of London, and a trustee of a number of charities focused on music education around the world. He is also the Artistic Director of the William Byrd Festival which takes place annual in Portland, Oregon, USA. He has appeared as a broadcaster on the BBC and visiting speaker and lecturer in the UK and Europe. He has worked with pop groups, crossover artists and appeared as conductor and organist on major Hollywood film scores, and he has acted as musical consultant for various television programmes, including the ITV crime drama, Endeavour.
Assistant Organist, Drew Sellis
Drew Sellis is the Assistant Organist and Tutor to the Choristers at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he plays a central role in the musical life of the College. In addition to playing the organ for services, broadcasts, and tours with the choir, he is involved in the musical training and pastoral care of the choristers. Before this, Drew held the Organ Scholarship at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he played for the installation of the Dean of Windsor in the presence of HM King Charles III and other senior members of the Royal Family. Drew has also held organ scholarships at Jesus College, Cambridge, and at St. Mary-at-Finchley, the parish church local to where he grew up in north London.
A prize-winning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Drew has recently given recitals at Westminster Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral, and as part of the Three Choirs Festival. His musical interests are broad, extending to jazz piano and classical saxophone, as well as musical direction for theatre productions, including work at Cambridge’s ADC Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe, and editing early music. He is also committed to music education, contributing to outreach programs that enhance children’s musical experiences.
Choir Administrator and PA to the Informator Choristarum, Griselda Sherlaw-Johnson
After completing a Music degree at UEA, Griselda returned to Oxford where she grew up. She worked in Blackwell's Music Shop and then for Oxford University Press as Choral Promotion Manager before joining Magdalen College in 2024. She is a keen choral singer and is a member of Oxford chamber choir, Commotio.
Griselda deals with Choir activities, events and recordings, the music library, and liaison with Chorister parents.
