During his time at the Cathedral, he worked closely with Dean Walter Hussey in the commissioning of new choral works for the Cathedral Choir, including pieces from composers Leonard Bernstein, William Walton, Lennox Berkeley, William Albright, Bryan Kelly and Herbert Howells.
[5] His pupils included organist Stuart Nicholson, tenor Rogers Covey-Crump, and composers Adrian Jack and Robert Prizeman.
In the posts at the Temple Church and the Royal Albert Hall, Dr Birch was the successor to Sir George Thalben-Ball.
He had, earlier, served with great distinction as accompanist and organist to the Royal Choral Society working closely with Sir Malcolm Sargent.
John Birch held an honorary MA from the University of Sussex and the Lambeth degree of Doctor of Music.