Director of Music

Benjamin Mills

As Director of Music, Ben is responsible for the Chapel Choir and the overall musical life of St John’s. He works closely with the Chaplain in delivering Choral Evensong every Wednesday during term. He trains the Choral Scholars and Organ Scholars in the Chapel Choir and teaches the Ordinands of Cranmer Hall in singing for Evensong. As a result, he contributes to the spiritual and cultural life of St John’s through his work with students.

Ben studied at Keble College, Oxford, as an Organ Scholar reading Music. After graduating, he moved to London to study for a Masters in Organ Performance at the Royal Academy of Music, where he also studied choral conducting with Patrick Russill. Before coming to Durham, he held the Organ Scholarship of Salisbury Cathedral.

Ben is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music. He is also Assistant Organist at Durham Cathedral, as part of the partnership between the Cathedral and St John’s.

Professional recordings

Ave Rex Angelorum: Carols and Music Tracing the Journey from Christ the King to Epiphany (The Choir of Keble College, Oxford, 2020)

Resurrexi!: Easter in Vienna with Mozart & the Haydn Brothers (The Choir of Keble College, Oxford with the Instruments of Time and Truth, 2022)

Our Staff

John Dorward

Chef Manager

John leads the Catering team at St John’s, overseeing the day-to-day delivery of food and drink across the College for students, staff, alumni and visitors. Working closely with the chefs and front-of-house team, he helps create a welcoming dining experience, from everyday meals in Haughton Dining

Sarah Heslop

Chaplain

Revd Sarah is the chaplain at St John’s College, and it is her privilege to be available to all connected with the College, of all faith backgrounds, to offer a listening ear and a non-judgmental space to explore questions of life. She facilitates College worship and spaces where our community can

Colin Clifford

Assistant Chef Manager

Colin plays a key role in the day-to-day running of the College kitchens, helping to ensure the smooth delivery of catering for students, staff, conference guests and special events throughout the year. He joined St John’s in 2020 following a long career across the food service industry, including

George Weston

Resident Tutor

George is a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Biosciences researching prediction models for carbon dioxide binding proteins. Previously he completed his undergraduate studies at St John’s and he’s been involved in many different sports teams, societies and events over the years.�

Eleanor Sanderson

Council member

Eleanor is Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York and was previously the Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves on the Anglican Communion Commission for Discipleship and Evangelism and has a passion for the renewal of God’s church through multiplying missional discip

Karen Taylor

Cranmer Common Room President

Karen is an Anglican ordinand in training at Cranmer Hall. As CCR President, her role is to represent the students of Cranmer Hall to college, sharing their concerns and representing them at meetings. She then feedbacks pertinent information to the students.

Magdalena Stanilova

Resident Tutor

As a resident tutor, Magdalena helps foster a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment in St John’s College, working alongside an exceptional team of friendly, kind and empathetic people. One of the aspects she enjoys most about the role is organising the College’s Christmas decoration events,

Felipe Zarate

Resident Tutor

As a Resident Tutor at St John’s College, Felipe supports students in their academic progress and wider collegiate experience, while helping to foster a friendly and inclusive college community. Felipe also contributes to student life as a PGR Rep in the Philosophy Department. As a PhD student in

Aurelia Eburne

Resident Tutor

Aurelia’s role as Resident Tutor involves supporting wellbeing, safety, and enrichment within the College community, as first-responder to out-of-hours incidents and by actively contributing to College life through student events and outreach. Aurelia is currently completing a PhD in Garden Histor

Pei Jun Quek

Resident Tutor

As Resident Tutor, Pei Jun works closely with the College Student Support & Enrichment Team to respond to out-of-hours calls, incidents, and emergencies within the College, while also leading a variety of extracurricular activities for the student community. Pei Jun is currently completing her P