Our Organist : Tony Spencer

Tony studied clarinet, violin and piano whilst at school, and at fifteen continued his musical studies at the junior musicians’ wing of the Guards Depot, Pirbright.  At the age of eighteen he went to Kneller Hall, the Royal Military School of Music and received the Cousins memorial prize medal as the best instrumentalist on his course.

Tony then spent the next fourteen years as one of the solo clarinettists with the band of the Grenadier Guards, performing on all state occasions and playing in the orchestra in Buckingham Palace and at Windsor.  Playing in the band was also a great opportunity to go on tour, visiting Australia, Hong Kong and the USA.

On leaving the band Tony pursued a freelance playing career with many orchestras and for many opera companies in London and Kent, and became head of Music at Dover Music Centre.

After being the instrumental instructor on Bute for many years, Tony now enjoys rehearsing the Bute Community Band and the chamber choir “Island Voices”, and is the accompanist for the Ballianlay Choir.

Tony has been organist at the United Church of Bute since 2009 and is also the organist at Mount Stuart.  Click here to contact Tony.

The church organ is a two manual with pedal board “Allen” organ, made in the USA.  There is also a Gear4music electric piano in the Church Centre.