Dennis William Townhill OBE (29 May 1925 – 18 July 2008) was an English organist and composer.
Born in Lincoln, he was educated at Lincoln School and studied under Dr Gordon Archbold Slater at Lincoln Cathedral.
Townhill composed a set of responses for use at Anglican evensong.
In 1970, Townhill became the driving force of a plan not only to safeguard the future of the Choir School of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh but to transform it into a new and vibrant entity.[1] In 1972, the school was expanded into a specialist music school on the lines of the Yehudi Menuhin School, with Lord Menuhin becoming patron and referring to it as "my younger sister-school in Scotland".[2]
He was organist and choir master at:
- St Paul's Church, Burton on Trent. 1942–1943[3]
- St. Mary le Wigford’s Church, Lincoln 1943–1947[3]
- St. Mary Magdalene, Bailgate, Lincoln, Lincoln 1947–1949[3]
- St James Church, Louth 1949[3]–1956
- Grimsby Parish Church 1956–1961
- St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh 1961–1991
Townhill retired in 1991,[1] and his autobiographical memoir The Imp and the Thistle: The Story of a Life of Music Making was self-published in 2000.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b "Dennis Townhill: organist, composer and choral conductor". The Times. London. 24 September 2008. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ^ Steven, Alasdair (6 August 2008). "Obituary: Dr Dennis Townhill". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d Who's Who in Music. Shaw Publishing Co. Ltd. London. First Post-War Edition. 1949–50
- ^ Townhill, Dennis. (31 July 2000). The Imp and the Thistle: The Story of a Life of Music Making. ISBN 0953882306, ISBN 978-0953882304. Google Books.
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