Malcolm Archer was educated at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham before studying at the Royal College of Music (as an RCO scholar). He was later organ scholar at Jesus College, Cambridge. His organ teachers include Ralph Downes, Gillian Weir, and Nicolas Kynaston and he studied composition with Herbert Sumsion and Alan Ridout. Malcolm Archer's first posts were at Bristol Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral. Archer was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Wells Cathedral in 1996 where he directed and trained the Cathedral choir for its daily services in the Cathedral, as well as being the Musical Director for Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society. He has made several recordings with the choir to critical acclaim. He took over as organist and Director of Music at St Paul's from John Scott in 2004. In August 2007 he took up a new position as Director of Chapel Music and Organist at Winchester College, where he is in charge of the Winchester College Chapel Choir as well as teaching the organ. Archer is also a distinguished and popular composer of church music, and has over 200 published compositions.