Claire Innes-Hopkins is Director of Chapel Music at the University of St Andrews, where she directs the University’s flagship choir, St Salvator’s Chapel Choir. She also directs the StAMP (St Andrews Music Participation) Children’s Choir, and has a full freelance portfolio of piano accompanying, examining, solo performance and teaching, including teaching for the university performance modules and the MLitt in Sacred Music.

In 2019 Claire was musical director for Byre Opera, the University’s professionally run opera company, which received a four-star review in The Times for the performance of two one-act operas, Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea and Madeleine Dring’s Cupboard Love.

Claire read Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where she studied the organ with Thomas Trotter. She is a Fellow of the Royal  College of Organists, and has worked previously at Winchester College, Magdalen College, Oxford, Peterborough Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral. Prior to moving to Scotland, Claire was Assistant Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, where she directed the girl  choristers, and was subsequently Acting Director of Music, directing the boy choristers in addition to the girls, and running the busy music department. Claire gives regular organ recitals around the UK, with notable performances including Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall, and Giles Swayne’s The Stations of the Cross at Lincoln Cathedral, in the presence of the composer. Claire began her musical life as a chorister at St Albans Cathedral, where she caught the sacred music bug, and has been fully immersed in music ever since.

Daniel Toombs is the Senior Campbell Watterson Organ Scholar at the University of St Andrews, where he accompanies St Salvator’s Chapel Choir in their weekly services. He began his musical career in 2012 as a pianist, receiving tuition from Peter Arnold, and soon joined the choir of St Paul’s Church Rusthall where he sang under Fiona Johnson as a chorister until 2019. In 2018, he was appointed head chorister and began his organ studies under Paul Jeffery and Jack Gonzalez-Harding, alongside studies in piano and clarinet. Daniel became an organist at St Paul’s in 2020, accompanying the choir regularly in sung services and rehearsals, and he achieved Grade 8 distinctions in piano and organ in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Daniel’s musical development was ably supported over a number of years by Bennett Memorial Diocesan School and Kent Music, and he has played and sung in the Kent Youth Wind Orchestra and the Kent Youth Choir. From 2019 to 2024 Daniel continued to sing at St Paul’s as a bass and in 2022 he joined the Oriana Singers; with both choirs he has sung in churches and cathedrals across the country and abroad.

Alexey Popov is one of three Campbell Watterson organ scholars at the University of St Andrews where he is reading Mathematics and Financial Economics. Alexey’s responsibilities as an organ scholar at St Andrews include accompanying the St Salvator’s Chapel choir in morning services and evensongs and giving recitals. Originally from Edinburgh (with Russian heritage), he began his organ studies at the age of 10 with Joseph Beech (now at Durham Cathedral) at Stewart’s Melville College. His lessons were funded by St Andrew’s Church in Edinburgh, where he played services until 2020. He was then taught by Simon Leach (of Canongate Kirk) on an organ scholarship from Stewart’s Melville. As the sole organ scholar, he played at school events and ceremonies, weekly assemblies, and recitals. Alexey also took lessons with Imogen Morgan (of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral) and achieved a Grade 8 Distinction in 2024. He was appointed Honorary Assistant Organist at Holy Cross in 2024, where he gave regular services until his departure for St Andrews. As a deputy organist for the Edinburgh Society of Organists (ESO), Alexey has enjoyed playing services for various churches in Edinburgh such as St John’s, Palmerston Place, Barclay Viewforth, Duke St and Polwarth Parish. He has also played at ESO recitals.

  Outside of the organ, Alexey is a keen pianist. He studied with Juliette Philogene at Stewart’s Melville from age 8. He has achieved Grade 8 in Piano and has won his school’s yearly piano competition in all categories. He was the pianist for the Stewart’s Melville Piano Trio, playing regularly at school chamber concerts and ceremonies. In March 2025, he performed as soloist for Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with the ESMS Orchestra in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. He has also volunteered at care homes, playing piano to elderly residents with dementia, and has performed as a jazz pianist for functions. 

Calum Landon  is one of three Campbell Watterson organ scholars at the University of St Andrews. A 19-year-old organist from the Scottish Borders, Calum studied organ at St Mary’s Music School with Duncan Ferguson, Organist and Master of the Music at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. After beginning his organ studies with Robert Gower, following an organ masterclass with world-renowned Thomas Trotter at age 13, Calum was appointed organ scholar at Berwick Parish Church where he became familiar with solo performing and choir accompanying. Having joined St Mary’s, Calum has had lessons with Tom Bell, Kevin Bowyer, and Martin Schmeding to name a few. He has played regularly at Greyfriars Kirk and Greenbank Parish Church. He has just taken up the organ scholarship at St Salvator’s Chapel in St Andrews and is studying joint honours Economics and Philosophy. 

Sopranos

Octavia Dawson – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Serena Browne – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship  

Florence Hardwick – Mary Simmers Choral Scholarship 

Eilidh Deans – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Emily Kemp – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship 

Rachel Cornille – Mary Simmers Choral Scholarship

Grace Stephens-Spada – Bursary Choral Scholarship

Toni Williamson – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Altos

Harriet Carlill –  Alan Chalmers Choral Scholarship  and Senior Chorister

Catherine Statchen – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Harriet Carlill –  Alan Chalmers Choral Scholarship  

Rebecca Wilson – Bursary Choral Scholarship 

Amelie Lyne – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Rosie Wallbanks – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Matilda Stewart – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Tenors

Hector Revill – Cedric Thorpe Davie Choral Scholarship 

Sebastian Filho – David Dorward Choral Scholarship

Joe Hall – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship 

Benjamin Buckner – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Jamie Wilson – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship 

Basses   

Benedict McClure – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Alexander Crawford – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Charlie Tavolato – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship

Joshua Lightwing –  Alan Chalmers Choral Scholarship

Daniel Wale – Heather C Higgins Choral Scholarship