George Miles (organist)
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George Miles | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | George Theophilus Miles |
| Born | 23 February 1913 England |
| Died | 26 March 1988 (aged 75) Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Organist, music educator |
| Instrument | Organ |
| Years active | 1935–1988 |
| Spouse | Margarete Böhm |
George Theophilus Miles FRCO (23 February 1913 – 26 March 1988) was an English organist and organ teacher based in Birmingham.
Education
[edit]He was educated at King's School, Canterbury and the Royal College of Music from 1931 to 1935, where he studied with George Thalben-Ball.
He studied with Karl Straube at the Kirchenmusikalisches Institut in Leipzig. He applied to study with Straube for his main study, Organ; but also composition under the Austrian composer Johann Nepomuk David and piano under Prof Robert Teichmueller, who was a pupil of Reinecke and taught Karg-Elert and others. Miles signed up on 28 September 1935. He remained in Germany for a few years, as he is documented living in Mittelweg, Hamburg a year or so later and did some translating work in an advisory capacity for C.F.Peters.
Career
[edit]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.[1]
He was organist at St. Peter's Church, Harborne from 1946 to 1988.
Personal life
[edit]He was born on 23 February 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.[2] They had one son, George Christopher Miles (1942 – 1994).
He died in Birmingham on 26 March 1988.
References
[edit]- English classical organists
- 1913 births
- 1988 deaths
- People educated at The King's School, Canterbury
- Alumni of the Royal College of Music
- Fellows of the Royal College of Organists
- Musicians from Kent
- 20th-century classical musicians
- 20th-century English musicians
- 20th-century organists
- 20th-century English male musicians
- English male classical organists
- Academics of the Birmingham School of Music