Our Patron

Noël Tredinnick developed his passion for music at a young age, mesmerised by his mother playing the piano.  She was a music teacher, and this influence led him to sing as a boy chorister at Southwark Cathedral in London.  Here he gained a grounding in Anglican choral tradition and developed a life-long passion for church music, biblical texts and Anglican Liturgy. This cathedral experience, ironically according to Noël, also culminated in being awarded one of the first ‘Oscar Hammerstein Chanterships’ (scholarships) as Head Chorister.

From Southwark, he proceeded onto a successful, twice prize winning period of study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he specialised in conducting, orchestration and keyboard skills (piano and organ).

48 years later Noël still, himself, teaches students, now as a Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  Additionally, he runs workshops, lecturing and conducting for Church Music Projects overseas, frequently in South Africa, Egypt, USA and Australia.

Whilst still in his early twenties, Noël also became Organist and Director of Music at All Souls’ Church, Langham Place in the West End of London, and has only recently retired after 50 years of devoted service. Whilst at All Souls Noël pioneered the use of orchestral instruments and founded All Souls Orchestra (ASO), which performs internationally and at the Royal Albert Hall (RAH) annually, establishing there the popular ‘PROM PRAISE’ concerts.  In 2022, Noël was invited as Emeritus Conductor to celebrate the ASO’s 50 Year Anniversary.

In 1987, Noël became Artistic Director of the Langham Arts Trust to develop the expanding ministry of the All Souls musicians in concert, publications and recordings.

 As a talented conductor and loveable broadcaster, for many years Noël was part of a regular team of conductors on BBC TV programme ‘Songs of Praise’ and performed at special events such as the opening of the Channel Tunnel, a programme in Ypres, Belgium marking the anniversary of WW1.  As a conductor of orchestras and choirs, he is in demand worldwide, having directed music for Billy Graham crusades in Toronto and Ottawa, and for the late Queen Elizabeth at St James’s Palace, Balmoral and for her Golden Jubilee celebrations. More recently, Noël hosts his own Radio Show several times each week on Premier Christian Radio: ‘’All Souls in Praise’’.

As a Composer Noël has contributed compositions and arrangements to a wide range of hymnals and songbooks.  As a Director of Jubilate Hymns, he has influenced a generation of developments in contemporary church music and in the adoption of orchestral instruments in worship. For these achievements, in 2002, he was awarded a Lambeth Doctorate of Music (DMus) by Archbishop George Carey and in 2009 a Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music (FRSCM).  In recognition of Noël’s life-long service and significant contribution to ‘Church Music and Music Education’ he was recently awarded a British Empire Medal.