Robert Rathbone has been Director of Music at the Sacred Heart since 1996. After joining the choir at St Mary’s Parish Church in Merton Park at the age of 17, he took up the organ and became assistant organist there. He went on to read music at Royal Holloway College, University of London and held posts as organist and choirmaster at three Anglican churches, including St Matthew’s in West Wimbledon, before crossing the divide to the Sacred Heart. In addition to his duties at the church (including directing the choir at the 12.00 Mass every week), he has conducted many performances of major choral works with the Sacred Heart Chorus and Orchestra. These include Requiems by Mozart, Verdi, Brahms and Duruflé, as well as Haydn’s ‘Nelson’ Mass, Mozart Vespers and Coronation Mass, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, and JS Bach’s B minor Mass. Other major works include two Handel Messiah’s, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Lauda Sion and Psalm 42, Bruckner’s Te Deum, Poulenc’s Gloria and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria.
He spent his entire working career at next-door Wimbledon College (1980-2017) and was Director of Music there from 1984-2013. He is now a freelance organist and musician, including working in this marvellous building. He is also Musical Director for our parish amateur dramatics group, Edge Hill Players, with 8 very successful pantomimes and spectacular productions (with full band) of Oklahoma!, Anything Goes, Singing in the Rain, The Sound of Music, Oliver!, Kiss Me Kate and Annie. In September 2026, it’s Guys and Dolls.