Malcolm Wood MCLIP Organist and Director of Music

Malcolm Wood MCLIP was educated at Bournemouth School and Aberystwyth University chartering as a professional Librarian in 1974. In this capacity he worked for Bournemouth and Dorset Libraries managing groups of libraries in the Wimborne and North Bournemouth areas and later being responsible for the operational support of the whole of Bournemouth Libraries. He retired from the Senior Management Team of Bournemouth Libraries in 1998.

As a musician, he studied organ and choir training with Norman Wilson whilst acting as his Assistant Organist at All Saints' Church Southbourne. He was organist and choirmaster at St. Clement's, Boscombe, for a total of 17 years, where he established a high standard of choral singing such that the choir sang at two fully choral services each Sunday and performed major works with orchestra on an annual basis, as well as giving concerts at other churches in the area. During his time at St Clements he married his wife, Stephanie; they have two children.

He subsequently held posts at St. Andrew's and St. Ambrose. At St. John's Surrey Road he again re-established a choral tradition training the choir to sing music of all periods and styles. In addition, he formed a music group which accompanied a family and Taizé service each month.

In 1992 he founded the Bournemouth Chamber Choir "Cantamus" which has sung in venues in the Bournemouth and Dorset area including Wimborne Minster, Christchurch Priory and St. Peter's Bournemouth. The choir often sings with St. Luke's Church choir on special occasions.

Since 2001 Malcolm has held the post of Organist and Director of Music at St. Luke's Church, where he has considerably expanded the choir's repertoire. Under his direction the choir leads choral services, performs motets during Communion each week and sings at Choral Evensong and special services.

In 2001 -2002 he organised events to raise money for the restoration and tonal improvement of the organ.

In 2007 he celebrated forty years as an organist and choirmaster, conducting a performance of the Vivaldi Gloria in St Luke's Church, to mark the occasion.