Lunchtime Concert: Benjamin Chewter, organ

Benjamin Chewter is Organist at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, the largest and oldest Baptist church in the city; he is also a concert organist and teacher.

Born in Sussex, Benjamin was educated at Christ's Hospital and held the Organ Scholarship at Canterbury Cathedral before going up to Emmanuel College, Cambridge as Organ Scholar (where he read Music and was Organist of King’s Voices, the mixed-voice choir of King’s College Chapel). He then became successively Organ Scholar at Westminster Abbey, Assistant Organist of Lincoln Cathedral and Assistant Director of Music at Chester Cathedral, where he was the principal organist for services, concerts, tours and broadcasts; he moved to London in 2016 after almost five years at Chester.

As an organist and conductor he has performed extensively throughout the UK and abroad. Contemporary music has a strong place in his repertoire, and he has premiered new music by Howard Skempton, Ciprian Ilie, Francis Pott and Matthew Martin. Recent performances have included Alain Trois Danses at Hull City Hall, Nielsen Commotio at St Albans Cathedral and Reubke Sonata on the 94th Psalm at Southwark Cathedral, with further recitals in 2026 at Chester, Hildesheim (Germany), and St Edmundsbury Cathedrals (together with several venues in London).

Benjamin studied organ repertoire with Dame Gillian Weir and Stephen Farr and improvisation with David Briggs; he is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and also holds the College's Choral Conducting Diploma. He is married to Catherine, and they have a five-year-old son, Micah.