Simon Johnson, Master of Music

Simon Johnson became Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral in September 2021, following 13 years as the Organist and Assistant Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral. He was involved in all of the national occasions that took place at St Paul’s during this time, playing for Her Majesty the Queen, the Dalai Lama, as well as numerous Prime Ministers and Archbishops. An active recital schedule takes him regularly to the USA, as well as to many of the great venues in Europe. As a director he became well-known for establishing the reputation of the St Albans Abbey Girls’ Choir. He has also performed with groups such as the LSO, RPO, and The Sixteen, recorded for Decca, Hyperion and Chandos, been published by OUP and Peters, collaborated with NASA and the International Space Station, and worked on the Oscar-winning soundtrack for The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Peter Stevens, Assistant Master of Music

Peter Stevens is Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, where he accompanies the Cathedral Choir in their daily services of Vespers and Mass, as well as in recordings, concerts and broadcasts. Educated at Chetham’s School of Music, he held organ scholarships at Manchester Cathedral and St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, before spending four years as Organ Scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, where his organ teachers included Thomas Trotter, David Briggs and Colin Walsh. In 2010 he came to Westminster Cathedral as Organ Scholar, and took up his present position the following year. Highlights of his time at Westminster have included the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, as well as playing for liturgies at the Vatican in the presence of two Popes.

As a solo recitalist, Peter has performed across the UK and Europe. Recent concerts have included Hereford, Canterbury, Lichfield and St Paul’s Cathedrals, Magdalen College, Oxford, and the Duomo of Milan. His Bach performance was included in BBC Radio 3’s Performing Miracles series in 2017, whilst his first solo CD, of music by Widor, Tournemire and Dupré, received a five-star rating in Organists’ Review. A second disc, of music by Franck and Tournemire played on the Grand Organ of Westminster Cathedral, has recently been released on the Ad Fontes label, and was selected as Editor’s Choice in Gramophone Magazine.

Peter has taken part in the Edington Festival of Music Within the Liturgy since 2010, firstly as Festival Organist, and since 2013 as Director of the Schola Cantorum.

Alexander Robson, Organ Scholar

Alexander Robson is Organ Scholar at Westminster Cathedral, where he regularly accompanies the Cathedral Choir and assists in teaching the Choristers. Alexander has been Organ Scholar at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a starred First in Music in 2025. Alongside accompanying the daily services at St John’s, Alexander performed for recordings, international broadcasts and tours with the College Choir, including concerts at Müpa, Budapest; St Phillip’s Cathedral, Atlanta; and the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

In 2024, Alexander became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, receiving several prizes for his performance. He is active as a soloist across the UK, recently including Coventry Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. In his spare time, Alexander enjoys learning foreign languages, and volunteers with the UK Linguistics Olympiad.