George Miles (organist)

George Theophilus Miles FRCO (23 February 1913 – 26 March 1988) was an English organist and organ teacher based in Birmingham.

Education

He was educated at King's School, Canterbury and the Royal College of Music.

He studied with Karl Straube at the Kirchenmusikalisches Institut in Leipzig.

Career

From the 1930s, through recitals and in particular broadcasts, he was virtually alone in representing the continental style of organ playing in Britain, especially in Bach.[1]

He was consulted by Ralph Downes on the design of the new organ for the Royal Festival Hall.

Soon after World War II he became established as a devoted and respected teacher through his hundreds of pupils from Birmingham University and the Birmingham School of Music.[2]

He was organist at St. Peter's Church, Harborne from 1946 to 1988.

Personal life

He was born on February 23, 1913 to Canon Joseph Henry Miles (1856 - 1935) (Curate of Castlerea 1882 - 1883, Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin 1883 - 1896, Rector of Pangbourne 1896 - 1913, Curate of West Teignmouth 1918 - 1919, Benenden 1919-1922, Chaplain of Faversham Almshouses 1922 - 1930) and Helen J Kolb in Pangbourne, Berkshire. His half brother Harry Godfrey Massy-Miles died in the First World War.

He married Margarete Böhm.[3] They had one son, George Christopher Miles (1942 – 1994).

He passed away in Birmingham on March 26, 1988.

References
  1. The Musical Times, Vol 129, Jul 1988
  2. The Musical Times, Vol 129, Jul 1988
  3. Who's Who in Music. First Post War Edition. 1949-50
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