Music department biographies:

Robert Rathbone has been director of music since 1996, and is also director of music at Wimbledon College next door to the church. His interest in the organ started relatively late, having joined the choir of St Mary's, Merton at the age of 17. He studied organ with John Porter while reading music at Royal Holloway College, University of London, and became assistant organist  at St Mary's during that time. He continued lessons, after graduating, with Michael Newton and then held posts as organist and choirmaster at St Luke's Kingston, Shirley Parish Church and St Matthew's, West Wimbledon. In addition to directing the choir at the Latin Mass every week,  he has conducted many performances of major choral works, most recently in June, 2007, when he conducted Handel's Coronation Anthems, Dixit Dominus and the Organ Concerto in Bb with the London Mozart players and Sacred Heart Chorus.This followed the hugely-successful concert in March 2006 when Mozart's Requiem Mass  was performed, also with the London Mozart Players and the Sacred Heart Chorus, raising over £10,000 for the children's cancer charity, CLIC-Sargeant. His recent work at Wimbledon College includes Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd for performance in April, 2009. A further findraising concert of Handel’s Messiah in the Mozart orchestration is planned for October this year.

David Gammie studied the organ with HA Bate and Peter Hurford, and regularly gives recitals in London and elswhere, most recently in Westminster Abbey, Brompton Oratory and St Paul's Cathedral. David was organist and choirmaster for many years at his family church, St Andrews URC Cheam. He was appointed organist and assistant director of music at the Sacred Heart in 2001, just after making a recording there for the Organ Club's 75 th anniversary CD. As well as playing, David writes programme notes for the major organ venues, such as the Royal Festival Hall and for Simon Preston's recent recital at the Royal Albert Hall. His understanding of the context and meaning of the music he plays gives his performances an extra dimension, and the congregation are indeed appreciative of his imaginative voluntaries (see programme ). In recent years, David has performed Dupré's 'Chemin de la Croix' at the Sacred Heart as part of the church's Lenten meditations, as well as the entire Meditations on the Holy Trinity by Messiaen. Recent recitals include Oxford Town Hall, St Dominic's Priory, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral and St John's, Islington. David has also recorded a CD at the organ of the Sacred Heart to raise awareness of the instrument in the light of the current appeal to restore it. In June, 2007 David played Handel's organ concerto No7 in Bb with the London Mozart Players to great acclaim.