Michael Chamberlain is the Senior Campbell Watterson Organ Scholar at the University of St Andrews, where he regularly accompanies services sung by St Salvator’s Chapel Choir alongside his studies in Mathematics. He began his studies as an organ scholar at Ss Peter and Paul, Olney, in 2013. Under Lee Dunleavy, Michael was made assistant musical director of the church choir in 2017, and his responsibilities included conducting the choir as well as accompanying sung morning services and evensongs. In that same year, he went on to study organ under Anne Marsden Thomas and James Parsons, and in 2020, he passed his ABRSM Grade 8 examination with distinction.

Michael is also an accomplished pianist. He came runner-up in the Milton Keynes ‘Young Musician of the Year’ competition in May 2020. Two months later, he gained his ARSM diploma with distinction under Adrian Boynton, and, upon arrival at St Andrews, was also awarded a University Piano Scholarship. During his time as a student, Michael has played piano for Menotti’s Telephone with the St Andrews Chamber Opera Group and has been asked to play for the Vice-Chancellor alongside private audiences.

Michael is also a keen composer, having placed 3rd in the ESAF Young Composers’ Competition in August 2024 for his piece ‘A voice of one calling,’ adjudicated by Dame Judith Weir. He also won the NDOA’s Centenary Composition Competition with his piece ‘Flourish for an Occasion’ in July 2021. Michael has also been Musical Director of St Andrews Madrigal Group since September 2023.

Sebastian Roberts is a third year German and Russian student currently in his final year studying at the University of St Andrews. He developed an interest for the organ during his time as a chorister at Blackburn Cathedral. In 2014 he began organ lessons with the Director of Music, Samuel Hudson. From 2016 to 2020, he studied organ at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music with Simon Mercer, achieving Grade 8 distinction in Summer 2019. From 2017-2019, Seb attended the RCO’s “Organ Scholar Experience” course in Oxford and Cambridge, receiving organ tuition from prestigious organists including Daniel Moult, Matthew Owens and Simon Williams. In addition to playing the organ, Seb is a choral scholar in St Salvator’s Chapel Choir and has taken part in a number of productions in St Andrews, most recently playing “Pelleas” in Byre Opera’s “Pelleas and Melisande” in 2022. Seb is also an ardent composer. When he was 13, his composition “God Be In My Head” was performed by Blackburn Cathedral Choir on tour in Paris, at venues including “La Madaleine” and “La Trinité”.