Claire Hobbs

Claire was the first woman to hold an organ scholarship at a mixed college in Oxford – at St John’s College. After further study at the RNCM where she was organ scholar at Manchester Cathedral, and then at Geneva Conservatoire, gaining a Prix de Virtuosité and the Prix Otto Barblan for Performance, Claire held positions at Holy Trinity, Geneva; Assistant Organist at Bristol Cathedral and Organist at Clifton Cathedral in Bristol. She studied with François Delor in Geneva and Nicolas Kynaston, and taught on many courses for young organists.

Claire later became interested in music psychology and retrained as a music therapist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Over the last 20 years, she has worked in the NGS and education, examined for the ABRSM and recently has rediscovered the joys of organ playing!