The originator of Ecclesium, Philip Stopford was appointed Director of Music of St Annes Cathedral, Belfast in January 2003. He began his musical career as a Chorister at Westminster Abbey, under the direction of two eminent Organists, Simon Preston and Martin Neary. At the Abbey, he sang for many special services and concerts including the live BBC broadcast of the Memorial Service for Sir Laurence Olivier. The choir also toured the USA, singing thirteen concerts in thirteen different cities in three and a half weeks. He won a musical scholarship to Bedford School, where he also held the post of Organ Scholar in the sixth form. Hs studied Music, Religious Studies and Economics for A Level, where he developed his keen understanding of Liturgy and Music.

Following a year as Organ Scholar at Truro Cathedral, Philip won a place at Keble College, Oxford, where he read Music and was Organ Scholar. He was responsible for recruiting and training the College Chapel Choir which was regarded as one of the best mixed choirs in Oxford at the time. It was there that he first developed his excellent relationship with Neil Collier at Priory Records. The Choir made the CD "Lux Mundi" and were then invited to record a volume of Evening Canticles in a Priory Records Series, the only non-Cathedral Choir to be asked. Both CDs received strong reviews, particularly the performance of Howells' "Take him earth for cherishing." Whilst at Keble, Philip also directed performances of Bach's "St John Passion" and the B minor Mass, with soloists from London and the Chapel Choir and friends. Philip composed the "Keble Missa Brevis" whilst at the College, and it is still performed there as a matter of course.

In 1999, Philip moved to Canterbury Cathedral to be Organ Scholar before securing his first full time post as Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral in 2000. In Chester, he was responsible for the Cathedral Voluntary Choir, and accompanying the Cathedral Choir on a daily basis, up to ten Choral Services a week. He also taught music in local schools, and began receiving commissions to compose Church Music.

In January 2003, Philip was appointed Director of Music at Belfast Cathedral where he has been innovative in setting up the Cathedral Youth Choir and Cathedral Voices, both broadening the appeal of music at the Cathedral and providing a wider scope of repertoire possibilities. He is responsible for training the Cathedral Choristers, who are recruited from various schools in Belfast and beyond. Philip has broadcast on radio and television with the Choir which sings almost one hundred Services each year. The Cathedral Choir has been resident in Chester, Liverpool, Wells, Truro, Cork, Waterford and Dublin Cathedrals. He has made three CDs with the Choirs, Mysterium (Music for Advent and Christmas), a CD of Hymns, and Celtic Inspirations, all recorded by Priory Records. Philip has also taken part in work at Queen's University, Belfast, and is often asked to take Choral Training Workshops. He is on the committees of RSCM Ireland and the Ulster Society of Organists and Choirmasters, and directs the Belfast Choir, Melisma.

Philip is fast becoming a composer of note, with his own publishing company Ecclesium doing well, and has recently signed an American Publishing deal with Hal Leonard (www.halleonard.com). The CD of his own Church Music compositions (part of Priory Records' British Church Composers series) received "Editor's Choice" in the September 2006 Issue of Organist's Review, and he has just released a second volume "Creation", available to purchase HERE.

Judge for yourself by sampling some of the PDF files or audio clips available on this website. We have a feeling that neither your choir or your audience will be disappointed!