Born in Birmingham, Francesca was educated at Cambridge University and the Royal Northern College of Music (on a prestigious ABRSM Scholarship). She has held Organ Scholarships at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and Manchester Cathedral, and was Assistant Organist at Great St Mary's Church, Cambridge and Assistant Director of Music at Peterborough Cathedral. 

At the age of 19, Francesca gained all of the top prizes in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists’ diploma and was subsequently awarded the WT Best Memorial Scholarship and Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, and the Musicians Benevolent Fund’s Ian Fleming Award. Her teachers have included Kevin Bowyer, Jeremy Filsell, David Goode and Andrew Fletcher. 

Francesca took up the post of Sub-Organist at Durham Cathedral in 2011, where, in addition to the daily provision of music for services and training of the choristers, she regularly accompanies the cathedral choir in concerts, tours, broadcasts and recordings, as well as directing the Cathedral’s Consort of Singers. 

Francesca performs regularly as a recitalist throughout the UK. Her two solo recordings (Bravura! and The Forgotten Gem, on the Priory Records label) both received excellent reviews and were Editor’s Choice in Organists’ Review. Francesca has performed widely as an accompanist, as well as recording a number of acclaimed CDs with various choirs; Gramophone Magazine describing her as a ‘hugely gifted accompanist.’ She is the Assistant Musical Director of The Durham Singers, and is actively engaged as an organ teacher. Francesca also performs extensively as a continuo player and pianist. 

The Very Reverend Dr Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester, commented: ‘We are thrilled to have appointed such an outstanding musician as Francesca Massey to this key role in the worship and mission of the Cathedral. We look forward to working with her as we develop and implement our vision for the future of music at Rochester Cathedral.’