Herbert Sumsion host cities, along with Worcester and Hereford, of the Three Choirs Festival, an annual festival of choral emphasis first held in the early 18th century. Sumsion would later write of his musically formative experiences at the cathedral: ‘Quite soon after my entry into the choir I was singing with the [Three Choirs] Festival Chorus and gradually absorbing the choral music of the great classical composers and the contemporary writers, of whom the giant was certainly Elgar.' When Sumsion’s treble voice broke at age 15, he became an ‘articled pupil’ to Brewer, a designation connoting a three-year apprenticeship in organ, choral
Donald Hunt (musician) Chorus. He was also Leeds City Organist, and lectured at Leeds College of Music. In 1976 he became master of choristers and organist at Worcester Cathedral, where he served until 1996. He was associated with the Three Choirs Festival and served as its artistic director and conductor eight times in the period from 1975 to 1996. In 1993 he was awarded an OBE. After he left Worcester Cathedral in 1996 he served as principal of the Elgar School of Music in Worcester (becoming music advisor after 2007) and leading many choral performances. He died on 4 August 2018 at the