Frances Aubrey
Frances has taught in Newham schools for many years, she began her music training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying the piano with James Gibb and accompanying Cyril Gell.
After moving to Stratford to teach, she began singing, working first with Fabian Smith and then Arthur Reckless, both at the Guildhall.
She has given recitals and sung soprano solo in a number of Oratorios and, for a number of years, has trained and conducted St. John's Choir.
She now studies locally with Suzanne Higgins.
Cyril Baker
Cyril was born in Lancashire. His principal musical studies were pianoforte and organ, the latter being taken at Preston Pasish Church and later at York Minster with Francis Jackson.
He was for a time on the staff of the Leeds College of Music, and has held appointments at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Headingly and Halifax Parish Churches, and was for fifteen years at St Magnus Church in Shetland. He is now an entirely freelance musician.
Mr Baker has given recitals throughout the U.K. and has broadcast for both radio and television. He has also twice toured in Norway, including an appearance at the Bergen International Organ Festival, and has five times toured in the U.S.A.
The composers William Wordsworth and Francis Jackson have dedicated compositions to Mr Baker, who gave the pieces thier first public performances, including a first broadcast.
Geoffrey Hobbs
Geoffrey Hobbs was the organist at St John's from 1987 to 2005
He was born in London in 1951 and began the piano at an early age. In 1964, at the age of thirteen, he decided to teach himself the organ, having already reached an advanced stage on the piano. Later, he won an I.L.E.A. award for a year's study at The Guildhall School of Music.
Over the past thirty years or so, he has held several church posts and given recitals on a regular basis. While a student, he played at the Sacred Heart Church, Eden Grove, Holloway, where he gave his first recitals. From 1975-1979 he was organist and choirmaster of St Saviour's, Alexandra Park Road, studying occasionally with H.A.Bate at St James', Muswell Hill. His last appointment before joining St John's was as organist and choirmaster of St Margaret's, Greater Ilford.
Whilst on the teaching staff of Grey Coat Hospital, Geoffrey had the privilege of playing for school services at Westminster Abbey on several occasions. He has also given recitals at various City churches including St Bride's, Fleet Street and St Magnus, London Bridge.
Geoffrey has been a qualified mathematics teacher since 1975. He has now retired.
Susi Morrow
Susi studied at the Guildhall, with Geraldine and Mary Peppin, gaining Diplomas in performance and teaching.She was awarded several scholarships to continue studying harpsicord and accompanying.
She has performed extensively as accompanist at Music Festivals and workshops, currently official accompanist for Stephen Varcoe's ongoing series of workshops, and as a chamber music player.
For many years she was on the staff of the Guildhall.
Over the past few years she has developed a keen interest in using music as a therapy and now combines her busy teaching and playing schedule with working with people with special needs using the music technology system 'Soundbeam'.
Audrie Page
Audrie has been singing for many years both as a soloist and in choirs and ensembles, including the London Chorale and the Chancery Singers. As a chorus member she has appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican.
She has never been trained as a singer, so what you hear is pure, natural talent.
Audrie runs a successful series of concerts at her church, St Edmunds, Forest Gate, and relaxes by playing the clarinet and saxophone.
Marius Rudnick
Marius was born in Torpoint, Cornwall in 1952. A multi-instrumentalist specializing in saxophone and flute, he has been professional since 1977.
Marius is a commercial musician with special interests in esoteric sounds.
He studied Jazz, improvisation and harmony at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Lionel Grigson, and arranging and big-band performance with Scott Stroman. He studied later with Bili Skeat (flute, clarinet and saxophone) and 'classical saxophone' with Paul Harvey. More recently he studied the piano and organ with
Geoffrey Hobbs.
He now divides his time between performance and teaching. Marius is also the director of music at St Edmunds, Forest Gate.
