Mike Stubbs

Composer, Organist, Conductor, Educationalist

Mike Stubbs initially studied composition with John Moseley at St. Edward’s College and organ with Richard Lea and Terence Duffy at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. He then went on to study Music as Organ Scholar at The City University in London, where he studied composition with Simon Holt and organ with Catherine Ennis.

In the late nineties, he began working as a teacher at Sacred Heart RC Primary School in Bolton, for whom he has written – amongst other things – a number of small-scale musicals such as ‘The Curious Case of Le Fleur Perdue’. During his time there, the choir have performed at local events around Bolton, and occasionally at national events such as the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) conference and World Class Schools awards ceremony in Oxford.

Over the course of his teaching career, Mike has produced several different schemes of work for teaching music in primary school. For information about the current iteration – which was rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED in Summer 2024 – please follow the link: https://mikestubbscomposer.com/primary-music-curriculum-scheme-of-work/.

For a good number of years, Mike has been involved with Initial Teacher Training programmes, delivering lectures and workshops in the areas of primary music education and special educational needs. He has worked with students from Cumbria University and Liverpool Hope University, as well as those involved in the school-based course at Sacred Heart.

Since 2010, Mike has sung with Hope Metropolitan Singers (formerly Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Cantata Choir), directing them, and the Hope Metropolitan Orchestra, on a number of occasions. He has also written several major works for them in that time, including such diverse compositions as ones to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the cathedral (My Beloved Spake, O Emmanuel) through to those to commemorate the First and Second World Wars (For Valour…, Doric Star). He has just completed the first draft of his setting of Robert Browning’s poem, ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’ for adult and children’s choirs which is being premiered in May 2026 – see blog posts over the next few months for more news about this exciting project.

He is organist at St Paul of the Cross RC Church, Burtonwood, and has written a variety of mass and psalm settings for liturgical use over the years. He is currently developing a ‘St Paul of the Cross Little Organ Book’ of hymn tune voluntaries based on parishioners’ favourite hymns from different times in the liturgical cycle.

List of Compositions

Most works listed have their own page, with details about the piece and a recording or MIDI performance to listen to. Simply click the title to be taken to the relevant page.

Click here for a chronological list of compositions

Click here for a list of compositions for use at different times during the liturgical year

Title – Forces – 1^st Performance (where relevant)

For Orchestra

• Veni, Sancte Spiritus (2023) – Children’s Choir, SSATB and Orchestra – Cathedral Concerts Society, May 2023
• For Valour… (2018) – Tenor, SATB semi chorus, SATB and Orchestra – Cathedral Concerts Society, Nov 2018 (Orchestrated arrangement of the choral piece composed in 2011)
• O Emmanuel (2017) – SATB and Orchestra – Cathedral Concerts Society, Dec 2017
• Concertante: A Divine Madness (2015) – Organ and Orchestra – Cathedral Concerts Society, Nov 2015
• Doric Star (2014) – SATB and Orchestra – Cathedral Concerts Society, Nov 2014 (Published by MusikProduktion Hoeflich, Munich- https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/stubbs-mike/)
• Suite For Orchestra (1988, revised 2016) – Orchestra – St Edward’s College, May 1989

For Chamber Ensemble

• Between H’m And Now (2020) – Cello, Piano
• Octet for Nine Instruments (1991, revised 2017) – Piccolo, Bass Clarinet, Horn, Trumpet, Bass Drum, Triangle, Celesta, Violin, Double Bass          
• After Astor (2017) – Violin, Accordion, Piano, Bass               

For Choir

• The Pied Piper Of Hamelin (2025) – SATB, Children’s Choir, Soloists, Flute, Piano and Percussion accompaniment – to be premiered in May 2026
• The Hills of Connemara (2024) – SSATB and optional accompaniment – Hope Metropolitan Singers, October 2024
• The Royal Banners Forward Go (2023) – SATB unaccompanied
• Escape (1999, arr. 2023) – SATB and Orchestra
• Salve Regina (2022) – SSATB unaccompanied
• Evening Service (2019) – SSATB and Organ
• Regina Caeli (2019) – Double Choir, unaccompanied
• Alma Redemptoris Mater (2019) – SATB unaccompanied
• Ave Regina Caelorum (2019) – SSATTB unaccompanied
• The Sprig O’Thyme (2019) – SATB unaccompanied – Cathedral Concerts Society, July 2019
• This Is The Day (2017) – SSATB and Organ
• Let All The World In Every Corner Sing (2016) – SSAATTBB unaccompanied
• Two Ancient Love Songs (2016) – SATB unaccompanied – Cathedral Concerts Society, June 2017
• Many Rooms (2015) – SATB, Children’s Choir and Organ – Cathedral Concerts Society, June 2015 (One movement – ‘Today, Tonight and Forever’ – was one of the JAM Call for Music winners in 2016)
• Te Deum Laudamus (2012) – SATB and Organ – Cathedral Concerts Society, Nov 2012
• For Valour… (2011) – Tenor, SATB semi chorus, SATB, Bell – Cathedral Concerts Society, Nov 2011
• Anima Christi/Seven Last Words (2010) – Baritone, SATB, optional Bell – Cathedral Concerts Society, Mar 2016
• Song Of Exodus (2008) – SATB unaccompanied, with optional Tenor solo
• God Be In My Head (2005) – Single or Double Choir, unaccompanied – Cathedral Concerts Society, June 2015
• I Sing Of A Maiden (2005) – Up to 3 equal parts and keyboard accompaniment

For Children

• Nativity: Shepherds, You’re Not Dreaming (with Gail Stubbs) (2015) – KS1/LKS2 children and accompaniment – Sacred Heart RCP School, Dec 2015
• Nativity: Songs Of A Wonderful Birth (with Gail Stubbs) (2014) – KS1/LKS2 children and accompaniment – St Paul of the Cross RCP School, Dec 2014
• Nativity: Let All The Earth Rejoice (with Gail Stubbs) (2013) – KS1/LKS2 children and accompaniment – St Paul of the Cross RCP School, Dec 2013
• Ghosts (Are Here To Haunt You) (2005) – Unison voices and Organ – Sacred Heart Choir, Bolton Music Festival, June 2005
• The Truth Behind Nursery Rhymes (2004) – KS2 children and accompaniment – Sacred Heart RCP School, June 2004
• Musical: Aliens – From Planet Earth! (2001) – KS2 children and Chamber Orchestra – Sacred Heart RCP School, Jan 2001***
• Musical: The Curious Case Of ‘Le Fleur Perdue’ (2000) – KS2 children and Big Band – Sacred Heart RCP School, Jan 2000***
• Nativity: The 2000^th Birthday Party (with Victoria Heyes) (1999) – KS1 children and accompaniment – Holy Family RCP School, Dec 1999
• Musical: Little Red Riding Hood Meets The Three Little Pigs (with Victoria Heyes) (1999) – KS2 children and accompaniment – Sacred Heart RCP School, Jan 1999

***with MIDI backing track

For Church

• Mass of St Paul of the Cross (2023) – Congregation and Accompaniment
• Islay Mass – 3 arrangements  
  • Original ICEL translation (2003) – Congregation and Accompaniment – St Paul of the Cross RC Church, Oct 2003
  • Revised ICEL translation (2012) – Congregation and Accompaniment – St Paul of the Cross RC Church, Dec 2012
  • Choral Edition (2016) – SATB and Organ – Liverpool University Singers, Feb 2017
• Sacred Heart Acclamations (2013) – Cantor, Congregation and Accompaniment – Sacred Heart RC Church, Dec 2013
• Hymn ‘Come, Holy Spirit, Lord Of Light’ (2012) –
  • Simple 4 part setting – St Paul of the Cross, May 2016
  • Extended setting for congregation, SATB and Accompaniment (Orchestra or Organ) – Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Concerts Society, June 2017
• Advent/Lent Communion Antiphons (2008) – SATB/Congregation and Accompaniment – St Paul of the Cross, 2008
• And a variety of psalm and antiphon settings for use in church (1998 – present)

For Solo Instrument

• St. Paul of the Cross Little Organ Book (2023 – ) – Organ
• Toccata on ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ (2022) – Organ – Mike Stubbs, St Paul of the Cross RC Church, Dec 2022
• Passachordlia (2016) – Organ
• Lantern (2015) – Organ – Mike Stubbs, Cathedral Concerts Society, June 2015 (One of the movements from ‘Many Rooms’)
• Fantasia (2010) – Organ – Mike Stubbs, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Jul 2011
• Fanfare: Once Around, Anticlockwise (2010) – Organ – Richard Lea, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Nov 2010
• Ghosts (Are Here To Haunt You) (2000) – Organ – Mike Stubbs, St George’s Hall, Liverpool, Aug 2000
• Nebula (1991) – Trombone – Clive Iddon, The City University, 1992
• Piece For The Terminally Insipid (1991) – Piano – Mike Stubbs, The City University, Feb 1991
• Elegy (1987) – Organ – Mike Stubbs, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Aug 1993

Latest Posts

• The Great ‘O’ Antiphons17th Dec 2025
  (‘‘Twas the week before Christmas…’) As we move into the final days of Advent, I want to share my setting of the historic Great ‘O’ Antiphons. This is a collection of seven short verses used as a prelude to the reciting of the Magnificat at Vespers in the Catholic Church since the sixth or seventhContinue reading “The Great ‘O’ Antiphons”
• Music Education – In Defence of the ‘Generalist’ Primary School Teacher12th Nov 2025
  I’ve just come out of the Music Mark ‘Big Meet’ to discuss the recent announcements about the upcoming curriculum review. Amongst the honourable mentions were the standard passing implication of poor practice amongst primary schools. It continues to be a huge source of exasperation that those who set the agenda in a manner almost designedContinue reading “Music Education – In Defence of the ‘Generalist’ Primary School Teacher”
• Music Education – The Ofsted Parable of the Sower9th Nov 2025
  In light of the recent announcements about the upcoming curriculum review, I would like to share this story… One day, a Sower went out to sow some seeds. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and ate them up. Some fell on stony ground, where they hadContinue reading “Music Education – The Ofsted Parable of the Sower”

Upcoming Events

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