Our Director of Music, David Hewett, has been immersed in church music since an early age. He began his musical career singing in the choir of Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, first as a boy treble and Head Chorister, and then as a countertenor on the back row. During his time at Romsey he studied piano with Diane Williams, before progressing to the organ (once his legs were long enough to reach the pedals!) under the tutelage of Jeffrey Williams. As a sixth-former he became the Abbey Organ Scholar, before leaving for the University of Warwick to study for an MMath degree in mathematics.
During his time at Warwick, David spent a year as Organ Scholar at St Mary’s Warwick before become sub-organist and choir member at All Saints Royal Leamington Spa, during which time he received organ lessons from Andrew Fletcher in Birmingham and sang countertenor with the Armonico Consort. Upon graduating in 2006, David moved to Kidlington to study for a DPhil in mathematics at the University of Oxford, and sang in the Worcester College Chapel Choir.
David’s main profession is as an academic mathematician. He was a research fellow at both the Mathematical Institute and The Queen’s College, Oxford, before moving to University College London, where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics. His research centres on the mathematical analysis of wave propagation, especially electromagnetic and acoustic waves – so his research and musical interests are very much intertwined.
David was appointed Director of Music at St Mary’s Kidlington in 2011. He enjoys playing the organ for church services, giving organ recitals, and training and conducting the adult choir and children’s choir. David lives in Kidlington with his wife Meghann and two sons, Joshua and Isaac.
Please contact David for further information about music making at St Mary’s.