Alex Berry

Alex BerryAlexander Berry began his musical training as a chorister at Lichfield Cathedral, before winning scholarships to Bloxham School and King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon. During his gap year he was Organ Scholar at Guildford Cathedral. During his 3 years (2009-12) at Queens’ College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar, he also held the posts of Organ Scholar to King’s Voices (the mixed-voice undergraduate choir at King’s College) and Accompanist to CUMS Chorus.

He then moved to Ely Cathedral, where he spent two years as Assistant Organist to the Girls’ Choir.

Alexander founded the Mercian Consort in 2008 and has conducted its concerts in the UK and on the continent, recording a CD of music for Lent and Passiontide which was released in April 2013.

Alexander works regularly as an organist and accompanist with a variety of ensembles. Recent musical ventures have included organ recitals in King’s College, Cambridge, St Bonifatius Wiesbaden and Kaliningrad Cathedral, and conducting the Mercian Consort in performances of works by William Byrd and Christopher Tye hosted by Cambridge Early Music.

Since January 2015, he has been the Assistant Organist at Magdalen College, Oxford and Tutor to the Choristers at Magdalen College School.

Early Concerts

This is a time ordered list. Please also see a work ordered list.

1982-3 Advent

Haydn: Little Organ Mass

1982-3 Passiontide

Choral Evensong

1983-4 Advent

Buxtehude: “Jesu, Joy and Treasure”.
Purcell: Chaconny.
J S Bach: Cantata No 61.
Holst: 2 Psalms (86 and 148)

1983-4 Passiontide

Three motets by Morley, Weelkes and Byrd.
Purcell: Evening Hymn
Telemann: Suite for Flute and Strings
Schubert: Mass No 3 in G Major

1984-5 Advent

J S Bach: Cantata No 140 “Sleepers Awake”.
J S Bach Violin Concerto In E major.
Vivaldi: Gloria

1984-5 Passiontide

Handel: The Passion of Christ;
Handel: Organ Concerto in B Flat;
Handel: Foundling Hospital Anthem

1985-6 Advent

Handel: selections from The Messiah.
3 Advent miniatures (arr. Willcocks) Praetorius, Palestrina and Piae
Cantones.
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols

1985-6 Passiontide

J S Bach: St. John Passion

1986-7 Advent

Purcell: Trumpet Overture ‘The Indian Queen’;
Purcell: Jubilate Deo
Haydn: Nelson Mass

1986-7 Passiontide

Purcell: “Jehovah quam multi sunt hostes”
Faure: Requiem

1987-8 Advent

3 short Advent choral pieces by Redford, Gardiner and Holst
J S Bach: Piano Concerto in F Minor.
Britten: St Nicholas

1987-8 Passiontide

Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary.
Mozart: Requiem

1988-9 Advent

Purcell: ‘O Sing unto the Lord’
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves.
Finzi: “In Terra Pax”.
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in A Minor.
Britten: Ceremony of Carols

1988-9 Passiontide

Handel: Messiah

1989-90 Advent

Palestrina: Matin Responsory
Mozart: Missa Brevis
Veni Emmanuel
Handel: Concerto in B flat for Piano and Strings
Vaughan Williams: Benedicite

1989-90 Passiontide

Haydn: The Creation

1990-91 Advent

Pachelbel: Canon
J S Bach: Cantata “Sleepers Awake”
Pergolesi: Concerto for Oboe and Strings
Geoffrey Bush: A Christmas Cantata

1990-91 Passiontide

Mozart: “Dixit Dominus” from Vesperae Solennes;
Mozart: “Ave Verum”
Mozart: Requiem

1991-92 Advent

Handel: Ode on St Cecilia’s Day
J S Bach: Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Strings
Vivaldi: Gloria

1991-92 Passiontide

Stanford: Justorum animae
Bruckner: Locus iste
Parry: My soul there is a country
Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

1992-93 Advent

Purcell: “Rejoice in The Lord, alway”
Handel: Organ Concerto in B Flat
Schubert: Mass No 3 in G major
Vaughan Williams: 5 mystical Songs
Purcell: Chaconny
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols

1992-93 Passiontide

J S Bach: St John Passion

1993-94 Advent

Handel: Messiah

1993-94 Passiontide

Haydn: Missa Sancti Nicolai
Haydn: Symphony No 49
Faure: Requiem

1994-95 Advent

J S Bach: Christmas Oratorio Parts 1 and 2
Handel: “Let the Bright Seraphim” (Samson)
J S Bach: Orchestral Suite No 3
Handel: Coronation Anthem “Zadok the Priest”

1994-95 Passiontide

Purcell: Te Deum Laudamus
Purcell: “O sing unto the Lord”
Purcell: Jubilate
Purcell: Welcome to all the pleasures
Purcell: Trumpet Overture from “The Indian Queen”
Purcell: “Come ye sons of Art”

1995-96 Advent

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

1995-96 Passiontide

Allegri: Miserere
Tartini: Concertino fior Clarinet and Strings
Vivaldi: Beatus Vir
Haydn: Theresa Mass

1996-97 Advent

Redford: “Rejoice in the Lord alway”
J S Bach: Cantata No 61 “Come Redeemer of our race”
J S Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major
Charpentier: Messe de Minuit pour Noel

1996-97 Passiontide

Purcell: Evening Canticles in G Minor
J S Bach: Cantata No 78 – duet
J S Bach: Suite No 2 in B Minor for Flute and Strings
Haydn: Nelson Mass

Advent Passiontide
1997-8 Clarke: Music on Henry Purcell’s Death
Vaughan Williams: Motet “Valiant-for-Truth”
Vivaldi: Concerto in C Major for 2 trumpets
Purcell: Ode on St Cecilia’s Day
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Rossini: O salutaria Hostia
Faure: Cantique de Jean Racine
Faure: Sicilienne
Rutter: Requiem
1998-9 King John of Portugal: Crux Fidelis
att. Buxtehude: Magnificat
Handel: Coronation Anthems for George II
Handel: Music for Royal Fireworks
Handel: Coronation Anthems
J S Bach: St John Passion
1999-2000 Haydn: Missa Cellensis “Mariazellermesse”
Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Bush: A Christmas Cantata
Mozart: Requiem
2000-1 Pachelbel: Chaconne for String Orchestra
Hassler: Dixit Maria
Victoria: Jesu, dulce memoria
Bruckner: Locus iste
J S Bach: “Prepare thyself Zion” from Christmas Oratorio
J S Bach: Cantata No 6 “Bide with me”
Schubert: Mass No 3 in G Major
J S Bach: St Matthew Passion
2001-2 Purcell: 3 anthems: “Rejoice in the Lord alway”, “Remember
not, Lord, our offences”, “O sing unto the Lord a new
song”
Holst: St Paul’s Suite for String Orchestra
Holst: 2 Psalms (86 and 148)
Mozart: Missa Brevis
Handel: Messiah
2002-3 Salisbury: Reflections on an Avian Logo
Spohr: Scherzo in D Minor from Nonet in F, Op 31
Britten: Ceremony of Carols
Rutter: Magnificat
Brahms: “Ach, arme Welt”
Arensky: “Otche nash”
Grieg: “Ave Maria stella”
Mendelssohn: “Verleih uns Frieden”
Handel: Concerto Grosso in G Minor Op 8, No 6
Haydn: Stabat Mater
2003-4 Charpentier: Te Deum Laudamus
J S Bach: “Sheep may safely graze” from Cantata No 208
J S Bach: Cantata No 140 “Wachet Auf”
J S Bach: Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Strings
Schubert: Mass in C
Haydn: The Creation
2004-5 Parry: “Blest pair of Sirens”
Elgar: Two choral songs from the Bavarian Heights
Warlock: Capriol Suite for String Orchetsra
Vaughan Williams: 5 Mystical Songs
Stanford: Te Deum Laudamus in B Flat
Finzi: In Terra Pax
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Vivaldi: “Winter” from 4 Seasons
Haydn: Nelson Mass
Faure: Requiem
2005-6 Buxtehude: Cantata “Jesu, joy and treasure”
J S Bach: “O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht”
Corelli: Concerto Grosso No 8 in G Minor
J S Bach: Cantata No 61 “Come Redeemer of our race”
Vivaldi: Gloria
J S Bach: St John Passion
2006-7 Mozart: Litaniae Lauretanae
Mozart: “Alleluia” from Exultate Jubilate
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus
Mozart: Serenade No 6 Serenata Notturna
Mozart: 2 movements from Vesperae Solennes
Mozart: Church Sonata in C
Mozart: Missa Brevis
Salisbury: Reflections on an Avian Logo
Salisbury: Motet: “O God the Protector of all that trust in Thee”
Vaughan Williams: Romance for Violin and Orchestra “The Lark
Ascending”
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleaves
Faure: Cantique de Jean Racine
Rutter: Requiem
2007-8 Purcell: “Welcome to all the Pleasures”
Purcell: Jubilate
Purcell: Trumpet Overture from “The Indian Queen”
Purcell: “Rejoice in the Lord alway”
Elgar: Serenade in E Minor for Strings
Elgar: “Ave Verum”, “O salutary Hostia”
Elgar: Vesper Voluntary No 7
Elgar: “Light of the world, we know thy praise” from The Light of Life
Handel: Messiah
2008-9 Vivaldi: Gloria
Bruckner: “Locus iste”
Mozart: “Ave Verum”
J S Bach: “Jesu, Joy of man’s Desiring”
Haydn: Missa Brevis (Jugendmesse)
Vivaldi: 4 Seasons – Spring and Summer
Vivaldi: Double Violin Concerto in D
Haydn: Missa Brevis Sancti de Deo (Little Organ Mass)
2009-10 Mozart: “Ave Verum”
Albinoni: Concert for Oboe
Handel: “Let the Bright Seraphim”
J S Bach: Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto in D
Bruckner: “Locus iste”
Vivaldi: Gloria
Mozart: Divertimento in F
Schubert: Mass in G
Vaughan Williams: Dives and Lazarus
Faure: Requiem
2010-11 Vivaldi: Credo
Handel: “Caro Sposa” from Rinaldo
Mozart: Divertimento K136
Mozart: Laudate Dominum
Mozart: “Sancta Maria”
J S Bach Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring
Schubert: Quartett-Satz
J S Bach: Motet: “Jesu Mein Freude”
Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Handel: “The King Shall Rejoice”
J S Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 3
Handel: “My Heart is Inditing”
Haydn: Nelson Mass
2011-12 Haydn: “Salve Regina”
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in D
Mozart: Requiem
Rossini: Overture Il Barbieri di Seviglia
Rossini: “Cruda Sorte” from L’Italiana in Algeri
Mozart: Sonata for 2 pianos in D K$88
Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle