We are sad to announce that Graham Matthews died on the 18th February 2024. Graham was a Brother of the Charterhouse for nearly 20 years, after joining on us on 1st September 2004. He made an enormous contribution to Charterhouse life and was our resident organist following in such celebrated footsteps as Johann Pepusch, the composer of The Beggar’s Opera.
Born in London, he attended the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) on a scholarship – having gained a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) in piano teaching as a schoolboy – and graduated with a BMus, as well as becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists with a Diploma in Choir Training FRCO (CHM). The Royal Academy of Music offered him an organ sub-professorship, and in 1979 awarded him an honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM). Graham was involved in choir-training, conducting, teaching and recital work – including broadcasts and recordings, and was also an official music festival adjudicator, an international examiner for The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, and a part-time lecturer. Prior to his entry to the Charterhouse, Graham served in the church from 1958 to 1967 as Sub Organist at Winchester Cathedral, and from 1967 to 1991 as Cathedral Organist at Sheffield.
While at the Charterhouse Graham wrote a history of some of the organists who had lived here previously and petitioned for a memorial to the Scottish composer Tobias Hume, another former Brother and musician, which was later installed in the Chapel. As well as playing the organ in the Charterhouse right up until last year, Graham also invested in its conservation and preservation including adding more organ stops.
Graham was a gentlemanly presence and his distinctive chair, with a small plaque stating ‘Organist’, now sits empty. He will be very much missed.
Graham taught me the organ from 1959 to 1961. I was extremely fortunate to have my lessons with him at Winchester Cathedral during his time there as sub-organist. On many occasions while he was finishing his teaching at the Pilgrim School he would give me the key to the Cathedral, allowing me to play on that wonderful organ (and in that vast building) before coming for his lesson with me – a memory that I shall alwas treasure.
He was an inspirational teacher and under his tutelage I passed Grade VIII organ with a high Merit mark. I have always valued his wisdom as a teacher and musician and was very sad to hear of his death
9th May 2024
David LucasGraham taught me the piano between 1958-60 when I was a chorister at Winchester. He was an excellent and punctilious instructor: tolerant, humorous and polite. His tastes in music were quite advanced, and he introduced me to the work of Bela Bartok via the first volume of “Microcosmos”. Once, when I was helping out in the organ loft after the service, we talked about the fiction of D.H. Lawrence, which he was reading: I asked him what it was about, and with a characteristically diffident air he replied “Oh, life.” When I failed to practice he said, “Well, at least you have a piano to practice on here in The Pilgrims’ School. When I was growing up at home, we never did.”
14th May 2024
ROBERT FRASER