Richard Tanner

Richard James Tanner FRCO is an English organist, choir director and conductor who was appointed director of music at Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, in New York City in September 2025, having previously held similar roles at Rugby School and Blackburn Cathedral in the United Kingdom.

Early life and education Tanner was a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral in London from the age of 8, and received his first organ lessons with John Scott, who, like Tanner, later became director of music at St Thomas Church in New York. He continued his organ studies at Radley College and the Royal Academy of Music, and was an organ scholar at Exeter College, Oxford, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Music degree.

Career After leaving Oxford, Tanner spent a year as organ scholar at St Albans Cathedral before serving as organist and director of music at All Saints' Church, Northampton (1993−1998), where he expanded the boys' choir, established a girls' choir and led the choirs on international tours, including to the United States. In 2017 and 2022 choristers from the school won the BBC Young Chorister of the Year competition. Tanner left the school in 2025 to become director of music at Saint Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, New York City.

Tanner's other work has included playing for the BBC worship programme The Daily Service and conducting orchestras around the world, including at Carnegie Hall in New York. He has released several recordings, including La Nativité du Seigneur by Olivier Messiaen, the Requiem and Organ Concerto by David Briggs and The Manchester Carols by Carol Ann Duffy and Sasha Johnson Manning.