Accompanist - Peter Jaekel

Born in Gloucester, Peter Jaekel entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1985 where he studied piano accompaniment with Geoffrey Pratley and David Willison, and organ with John Scott. For seven years he was chapel organist at Bradfield College, Berkshire.

Since 1997, he has been a freelance organist and piano accompanist. He is a deputy accompanist to the London Symphony Chorus, where he has worked with some of the world’s finest conductors, including Sir Colin Davis, Valery Gergiev, Michael Tilson Thomas and Yan Pascal Tortelier. He is accompanist to Hertford Choral Society and the Crouch End Chorus, and regularly plays for other choirs in the South-east including Brighton Festival Chorus. He was organist of St Paul’s, Knightsbridge for nine years and performs as pianist with the Ben Sanders Scottish Country Dance Band throughout Britain and abroad

Peter is in huge demand as a piano accompanist, most recently accompanying the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and the saxophonist John Harle. He is also much sought after as a vocal coach for contemporary music; recent repertoire includes operas by Sir Michael Tippett, Jonathan Dove, Stephen McNeff and Tansy Davies. He is principal repetiteur for Eastern Opera and has also worked for European Chamber Opera.

Recent engagements have included performances of Handel Organ Concerti and the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony, and he has appeared at the Swaledale, Ryedale, Brighton and Deal Festivals. His work has taken him to France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Norway, Hong Kong and New York. Future plans include two tours of Italy.