St Hugh’s welcomes new Director of Music

St Hugh’s is delighted to announce the appointment of Jacob Collins as the new College Director of Chapel Music. Jacob is an organist, conductor and composer based in Buckinghamshire. He will combine his role at St Hugh’s with his existing position as Director of Music at Crown Court Church of Scotland (‘The Kirk to the Crown of Scotland’) in Covent Garden.
As Director of Chapel Music Jacob will lead the musical life of the chapel and he will teach and support choral and organ scholars.
During his undergraduate years he studied with internationally acclaimed organist and St Hugh’s alumna, the late Catherine Ennis (Music, 1973). His teaching has been significantly influenced by her approach, and he is looking forward to nurturing a new generation of organists at St Hugh’s through the Organ Scholarship programme established in Catherine Ennis’ name.
Jacob completed a Master of Letters (MLitt) degree in Sacred Music at the University of St Andrews while holding a Campbell Waterson Organ Scholarship at St Salvator’s Chapel, alongside singing with the Renaissance Choir. At St Andrews his studies included the history and theology of Sacred Music, as well as practical elements such as choral and orchestral conducting (with Claire Innes-Hopkins and Dr Bede Williams), organ performance (Tom Wilkinson and Claire Innes- Hopkins) and composition, in which he was fortunate to meet and receive tutoring from internationally renowned composer Sir James MacMillan.
St Hugh’s Interim Chaplain, Claire Browes said, ‘We are so pleased that Jacob has joined St Hugh’s as our Director of Chapel Music. He is an extremely talented musician, with a passion for inclusion, who will enrichen our chapel life. It is particularly special that he studied with alumna Catherine Ennis, in honour of whom our three organ scholarships are named. Now fully endowed, these scholarships offer fantastic musical opportunities for promising young organists amongst our student body.’