David Hirst is one of the few British organists to have fully integrated into the French organ world. Based near Paris, he is Organiste Titulaire of the magnificent 12th-century Collegiate Church of Mantes-la-Jolie, where he oversees its three organs. He is also Titulaire of Sainte-Anne de Gassicourt, a neighbouring Romanesque church for which he recently led the installation of an organ from the UK. For over 10 years, he has served as Artistic Director of the city’s International Organ Festival.
As a recitalist, David performs worldwide. In the UK, he has appeared at major venues including St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Across continental Europe, his career has taken him to many of the great cathedrals, such as those at Versailles, Antwerp, Mainz and Chartres, as well as to the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam, the Constantine Basilica in Trier, and the Abbey of Saint-Ouen in Rouen.
Further afield, he has played in South Africa and Singapore and returned to Japan in early 2026 to re-inaugurate the organ of Kanazawa Concert Hall, alongside further performances and workshops that he delivered entirely in Japanese. His 2024 United States tour included recitals at St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, and Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City—home to the largest organ in the world—as well as other appearances across the country.
His repertoire centres on the great traditions of the organ, from Bach and his contemporaries through to the French, German and British schools of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, alongside selected transcriptions.
David was a chorister at Chichester Cathedral under Dr John Birch. He holds a Master’s degree in Music from Cambridge University, where he was Organ Scholar at Emmanuel College. He gained a postgraduate diploma with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied organ with Lionel Rogg. He has also worked with Nicolas Kynaston and Thomas Trotter.
Previous appointments include St Germain du Chesnay in Versailles, and St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, where he played for many high-profile services attended by royalty, dignitaries and celebrities, as well as concerts, recordings and over 30 BBC broadcasts.
David’s live recordings on YouTube, featuring substantial works performed on some of the world’s greatest organs, have attracted a wide and growing audience. His discography includes the first recording of the 1897 grand organ by Joseph Merklin in Mantes-la-Jolie and his critically acclaimed 2022 Priory CD—“These stylish performances are quite sublime”—Organists’ Review.
