Born in Liverpool but also a proud Prestonian, David Houlder is fast establishing himself as an exciting freelance concert organist in the true Mersey tradition. He was educated at Preston Grammar School, where he studied organ with John Robinson, a noted blind organist. Having gained his ARCO at the age of 16, David became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, aged just 17. He went on to read Music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, for the MA degree, meanwhile continuing his organ studies with Arnold Richardson in London. After a further year at Hatfield College, Durham, he entered the teaching profession, becoming Music Master at Wirral Grammar School for Boys. In 1981, he became Director of Music at Liverpool’s historic Blue Coat School, a post he held until 1999 when he decided to pursue his career as a freelance concert organist, accompanist and tutor.

In 1987, David was appointed Sub-Organist of Liverpool Cathedral, where he regularly plays for services, directs the Cathedral Choir on occasion and is a frequent recitalist. He has several broadcasts on national radio to his name in conjunction with the Cathedral Choir and is shortly to be seen in a forthcoming TV programme about the cathedral, under the provisional title “Don’t Look Down!”

He also appears regularly with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and has worked with such eminent conductors as Carl Davis, Roy Goodman, Petr Altrichter, Libor Pesek, Vernon Handley, Sir Charles Mackerras and the late Sir Charles Groves. Recent special concerts have included a much-acclaimed performance of the Poulenc Organ Concerto in Chester Cathedral, a BBC broadcast of Elgar’s Caractacus with the BBC Philharmonic and a highly successful recital at St Paul’s Cathedral in February this year.