Dennis Townhill

Memorial in St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh

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

1. "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.
2. Steven, Alasdair (6 August 2008). "Obituary: Dr Dennis Townhill". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
3. Who's Who in Music. Shaw Publishing Co. Ltd. London. First Post-War Edition. 1949–50
4. 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.