11 Female Organists in the UK
An introduction to some of the women who are breaking traditions for a previously male-dominated instrument based across the UK and at varying stages of their respective careers. You may also be interested in reading about even more female organists on the Society of Women Organists website.
Anna Lapwood
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X
As well as being a conductor and broadcaster amongst other things, Anna is a pioneering protagonist for the organ. Having reached a huge audience through concerts and social media with over 1 million followers across all platforms, her passion for the organ is matched by her mission to support girls and women in music. She was the first female in Magdalen College Oxford’s 560 year history to be awarded the Organ Scholarship and has since run regular organ workshops for young players around the country, hosted the Cambridge Organ Experience for Girls and organised an annual 24-hour ‘Bachathon’ to raise money to support musicians in Zambia.
Anita Datta
Anita is a conductor and organist particularly known for her work with choirs and voices. She is the founder and Director of The Swan Consort, a chamber choir of elite singers specialising in early music but performing in a range of styles. She is currently based in County Durham where she plays at Durham School and keeps freelance engagements as she finishes the writing of her PhD thesis. Anita was appointed Director of Music of St. Mary’s Parish Church, South Woodford (London) in 2014, and remained in post as organist and choirmaster until 2018. Former Organ Scholar of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 2018 Anita was awarded the Limpus, Shinn and Durant prize for the highest mark in practical examinations for Associateship of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO).
Dr Rebekah Okpoti
Rebekah is an academic, organist and content creator in the United Kingdom. Going by the social media handle The Girly Organist, she shows audiences the behind the scenes processes and insider perspectives on being a creative, academic and organist and was recognised for her efforts with an honorary Fellowship by the National College of Music and Arts. Studying at Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music, she has since gone on to be Director of Music at Lancaster Priory and has worked in Anglian, Catholic and Evangelical Church Music at a Parish level, as an Associate Organist at Leeds Cathedral, England and in various Church outreach programmes. To top it all off, Rebekah is the editor of the UK's second largest specialist Organ magazine, The Organ Manual.
Katherine Dienes-Williams
A New-Zealand born organist, Katherine is an organist as well as a conductor and composer and has a collection of firsts for women under her belt. She was the first female member to be elected to the Cathedral Organists’ Association and rose to be its first female President. She is currently Organist and Master of Choristers at Guildford Cathedral - the first woman to hold the most senior musical post in a Church of England Cathedral. To name a few, Katherine has given organ recitals in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, USA and South Africa and has performed as organ soloist with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallé, City of London Sinfonia, Southern Pro Musica, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Claudia Grinnell
Recently appointed as the first female Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, she was previously Sub-Organist at Winchester Cathedral since 2017. Described as “bringing great musicianship and humour to her role” she began her journey in St Peter’s Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton and studied at University of Cambridge. Whilst she was Organ Scholar at Peterhouse, she took full responsibility for the running of the Chapel Choir, embarking on tours to Reykjavík and Dublin. This was followed by a year as Organ Scholar at Salisbury Cathedral, accompanying the choirs on their tour to California, which included Stanford University’s Memorial Church and Grace Cathedral, San Francisco.
Sarah MacDonald
As well as a conductor, composer and pianist, Canadian-born/UK-based Sarah MacDonald is an organist who is Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral and Organist at the University of Cambridge - the first woman to hold the prestigious ceremonial role, which dates back to 1670. Amongst these accolades, she also holds the office of President of the Royal College of Organists 2024-2026 and is a winner of the Royal College of Organists’ (RCO) coveted Limpus Prize. As well as a Patron of the Society of Woman Organists, she has over 50 choral and organ compositions published in the UK, Canada, and the States with her liturgical music being performed regularly throughout the world.
Hannah Gill
Born in Wales, Hannah trained as a pianist, organist and conductor, and has extensive experience in a wide range of professional and educational settings. Hannah has played and taught music internationally, and her performances have been broadcast on TV and radio in the UK.
Hannah holds the diploma of Associate of the Royal College of Organists (ARCO). She is Organist at St Nicholas Harpenden, an Accredited Teacher for the RCO, and Co-Chair of the Society of Women Organists.
Elizabeth Stratford
Elizabeth Stratford is a choral director, musician, and educator who has redefined the boundaries of liturgical choral music. As Organist and Master of the Choristers at Arundel Cathedral, her dedication to musical excellence has revitalised the Cathedral's musical heritage. Her oversight of the Hill organ restoration and her commitment to nurturing choral talent through the recruitment of choristers and the formation of the Choral Scholarship programme have created a legacy. Under her direction, the Cathedral Choir has been broadcast on ITV and BBC One, notably live on Christmas Eve for Midnight Mass in 2014. For BBC Children in Need, broadcast live from Arundel Castle, she assembled over 100 children from local primary schools, teaching them to sing in 3-part harmony. She has also filmed for regional television and Songs of Praise.
Sarah Baldock
Sarah Baldock is an organist and choral conductor, formerly the Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral. She is notable as one of the earliest women to be appointed to the senior music post at a Church of England Cathedral. Conducting, organ performance and teaching have formed the backbone of her career since leaving Cambridge, where she was Organ Scholar at Pembroke College. After graduating, she was appointed Organist-in-Residence at Tonbridge School, Director of the Girls’ Choir at Winchester Cathedral and was later appointed Assistant Director of Music. She has since directed two Southern Cathedrals Festivals, made a second solo organ CD and undertook several recordings and European tours with the Choir.
Emma Gibbins
Emma Gibbins is Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral. She began her musical career as organ scholar at Pembroke College, Cambridge, subsequently holding organ scholar posts at St Martin-in-the-Fields and Southwell Minster. She studied for an MMus in Organ Performance at the Royal College of Music, before spending a number of years working in and around London in a variety of churches. Emma relocated to Northern Ireland in 2008 to take up the position of Director of Music at St. George’s Church in Belfast, then in 2015 to Newport as Director of Music at Newport Cathedral, where she was responsible for directing the cathedral’s choirs of adults, boys and girls, having set up the girls’ choir from scratch. She has been Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral since September 2024.
Yvette Murphy
Yvette is a London-based conductor, organist, and mezzo-soprano. A graduate of the University of Cambridge and recipient of the Organ Scholarship at Selwyn College, she was President of the prestigious Cambridge University Opera Society, Publicity and Fundraising Officer for Sing Inside, Cambridge and Evensong Officer for the Minerva Festival, promoting the work of marginalised gender composers in choral music. A passionate educator, Yvette is currently Choral Director for the Diocese of Westminster, working to reinvigorate music education in Catholic primary schools, establishing regional choirs across the Diocese. She is also working as Courses Manager for Creative Oundle for Organists, helping to provide high-quality educational opportunities to young organists.
Hannah Fiddy is a creative entrepreneur, developing new audiences for classical music. She has created and promoted numerous concerts outside of traditional spaces, including warehouses, pubs, clubs, museums, hospitals, prisons and even in Primark. Hannah is also an interviewer, writer and guest lecturer, and runs the Avon Chamber Choir in Bristol. In a past life she founded London Flashmob, producing quirky events from wedding proposals to cultural pranks for up to 1,000 people.
