Our Conductor

Nicholas Danks was born in Harrow, Middlesex in 1974 into a family of professional musicians. He attended Quainton Hall and John Lyon Schools, both in Harrow, where he studied the organ under Frederic Goodwin and David Sanger. In 1993 he was awarded an  organ scholarship and a place to read music at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. On graduating in 1996 he became Assistant Organist at the Royal Parish Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square; beginning an association of 12 years with this church. In 2001 Nicholas was promoted to the position of Director of Music at St Martin’s, responsible for all of the liturgical music-making of this busy London church including directing the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields for many high profile BBC Broadcasts. In September 2008 Nicholas returned to Cambridge to take up the post of Director of Music at his old College, Corpus Christi, being responsible for the practical music-making for four years. In October 2012, Nicholas switched his focus to academic teaching for the College and the University’s Music Faculty, specialising in Harmony and Counterpoint and Keyboard Skills. In recognition of his teaching and mentoring work Nicholas was    elected as a Fellow of the Corpus in December 2015 and also became the College’s Director of (academic) Studies in  Music. Since August 2020 Nicholas has also resumed his role as the College’s Director of Music, including the direction the Chapel Choir. Despite the resulting long-distance commute to Cambridge, Nicholas has lived in North Cornwall since October 2008 and became Musical Director of Wadebridge Choral Society in September 2010. He has also, since June 2019, been Musical Director of the St Paul’s Knightsbridge Festival Choir, a choral society based in the Kensington and Knightsbridge area of London; having previously been the choir’s rehearsal pianist since October 2000.