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Guildford Cathedral Choir

The Cathedral Choir sang for the first time at the service of consecration in May 1961, and under the direction of five organists and masters of the choristers since that date has established an impressive international reputation. This reputation for excellence has been founded on the tremendous commitment, energy and enthusiasm of parents, choristers and adult singers alike. In 2002 the establishment of the Girl Choristers augmented the Cathedral’s music foundation.

Between them the boy and girl choristers and the lay clerks provide music for seven fully choral services each week during term time. They also participate in a wide variety of musical activities which include recording, broadcasting and touring, as well as frequent concert appearances in the cathedral and elsewhere.

Asher Oliver

Photograph of Asher Oliver

Sub Organist


01483 547867

Guildford Cathedral

Asher Oliver has been the Sub Organist of Guildford Cathedral since April 2023. Originally hailing from the North-West, his musical education began in earnest as a chorister at Manchester Cathedral alongside a place at Chetham’s School of Music, where he later studied the organ with Christopher Stokes.

After a gap year as organ scholar at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Asher studied for a Music degree at Trinity College, Cambridge alongside which he held an organ scholarship. Working closely with the college choir there, he took part in tours across Europe, the United States, and Canada, and features as an accompanist on CDs of choral music by Gerald Finzi and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Upon leaving Cambridge, Asher moved to London, to take up the organ scholarship at St Paul’s Cathedral, and subsequently spent two years as Assistant Organist at York Minster.

A keen continuo player, Asher regularly took part in performances of Bach Cantatas and Oratorios whilst a student, highlights of which include a project working with players from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the direction of John Butt, as well as a performance of Bach’s Matthew Passion, for which he worked closely with English tenor and evangelist, Nicholas Mulroy.