Biography

Christopher Sparkhall

Christopher Sparkhall is a freelance musician, teacher and leadership consultant, with significant experience in music examining and an exceptional background of achievement in music education and leadership. He is currently an examiner for ABRSM with nearly 20 years of experience, and a senior examiner for a UK exam board at both A Level and GCSE. In addition to his music examining and education consultancy work, he is much in demand as a teacher and accompanist. Currently he is the regular pianist for the Fordingbridge Musical Theatre Choir, and playing the organ on a regular basis for a number of churches in the Salisbury, Bournemouth and New Forest region. He has a small number of private pupils to whom he is teaching a mixture of piano, theory and singing. 

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Chris enjoyed a highly successful 19 year career as Director of Music at Canford School, stepping down to move into freelance work in the summer of 2024.  He is a keen 'polymath' musician, with interests in conducting ranging from choral music to jazz, and academic expertise ranging from analysis and history to harmony and counterpoint. At Canford, he enjoyed directing a range of the ensembles, from the jazz band to the chamber choir, and his department enjoyed exceptional academic results (A level grades were an average of 80% A*/A over the 19 years of his leadership) as well as significant high level success in ABRSM music exams up to diploma level. 

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Chris began his musical journey with learning the piano at the age of 6 and the organ at the age of 10. Within a year he was assistant organist at his local parish church, playing for services and accompanying the choir in concerts. He attended the King's School in Gloucester as an academic and music scholar and was organ scholar at Gloucester Cathedral from 1995-96, studying with David Briggs.

Winning the prize for the highest national mark in A level music in 1995, as well as A grades in his other A level subjects, Chris left King's and took up the organ scholarship at Worcester College, Oxford. During his two years as senior organ scholar, when he was solely responsible for the men and boys' choir, he re-introduced tours and made the first choir CD, 'Christmas Carols from Oxford' which was commissioned by the 'Past Times' chain of shops. The CD is still available! In his final year he also gained his ARCO.

Leaving Oxford in 1998 with an MA, Chris then studied for a PGCE at Cambridge University (Homerton College), where he also sang in Peterhouse Chapel Choir and conducted the Addenbrooks Hospital Choir.

He was appointed Assistant Director of Music at Canford School in 1999 and was Organist at St Mary's Church, Fordingbridge between 2000 and 2005. He took on the role of Director of Music at Canford School in September 2005.

He is also much involved in musical theatre, and has co-written and directed a new work, 'Ebenezer' and a Chamber Opera, 'The Spectre'. As an organ teacher, Chris has seen three pupils successfully gain Oxford Organ Scholarships.

In his spare time, Chris sings with the semi-professional choir, Sarum Voices as well as volunteering at Salisbury Cathedral. He has also served as a trustee (non executive director) on the board of the Poole Arts Trust, the organisation responsible for managing the 'Lighthouse', Poole's arts centre. and he is currently a trustee for the South West Music School.