Henry Wallace is a native of Nairn. He gained his first experience as an organist at the age of fourteen playing for services at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church. Briefly Assistant Organist at St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, after leaving school, he studied Music at Cambridge University and was an Organ Scholar at St. Catharine’s College. While at Cambridge he studied organ with Peter Hurford and David Sanger, and piano with Hilda Bor.

After graduating, Henry moved to Northumberland, initially working as a school teacher. At the same time he was appointed Assistant Organist at Hexham Abbey. He gained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists and won the 1985 Dunfermline Abbey Festival Organ Competition. He conducted several local choirs in the north east of England, including the Hexham Abbey Festival Chorus, the Tynedale Elizabethan Singers, and the North Tyne and Redewater Choral Society.

After a few years in teaching he embarked on a postgraduate degree in Computing Science at Newcastle University, during which time he was also the University Organ Scholar. Since then he has pursued a career in the computer software industry. Meanwhile he has continued his work in musical fields as both conductor and organist.

Since returning to live in Scotland, Henry has worked as the lead software engineer for a small high-tech engineering company based in central Scotland. He now acts as a consultant for the company. He was appointed Organist and Choirmaster at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, in 2001.

Refurbishment of St. Ninians' Organ

P.M. Pipe Organ Maintenance Ltd of Bonnybridge recently undertook the restoration of the organ at St. Ninians and this was completed on Saturday 1st August 2015; the organ has now been returned to full service for the benefit of the community and congregation. The work was financed with the assistance of an award of £32,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, allowing the full restoration of this nationally recognised historic church organ, which was built in 1924. The total projected funding requirement for the re-build was £48,250. Local primary school children from years 4 and 5 at Millbank Primary School in Nairn learned from community memories of the organ and seeing what the restoration work involved - from the initial dismantling to the full re-build. They helped to produce information boards and visitor leaflets that are part of a permanent display within the church. Two year groups from Nairn Academy's Music Department were also engaged in this project, with pupils playing the organ, and they will be contributing to public recitals and events. Pupils also engaged with the specialist restoration team to learn how the organ works, understand its component parts and just how it has been rejuvenated.