£2445 was raised yesterday in the Hymnathon to support St Albans Cathedral Music Trust’s work in sustaining the Cathedral’s wonderful musical tradition.
Thank you to all who supported us! I never thought I would sing Love Divine, all love’s excelling twice on the same occasion but to two different tunes!
Today, I attended the Memorial Service in St Michael’s Church, Cornhill, London EC3 for Richard Popplewell, my inspirational Organ Professor when I was at the RCM. Richard was a truly excellent teacher, wonderfully described in the Address given by former pupil, Peter Wright, D
oM of Southwark Cathedral. Past pupils Andrew Nethsingha (DoM, St John’s College, Cambridge) and David Briggs (concert organist) played before (BWV544i) and after (Improvised Voluntary in Memoriam Richard Popplewell) respectively.
Jonathan Rennert, DoM at St Michael’s and former pupil, directed the professional choir in some of Richard’s hauntingly beautiful own compositions – There is no rose and The Lord is my Shepherd together with Justorum animae by Byrd and Thou knowest, Lord by Purcell.
Stephen Cleobury (DoM, King’s College, Cambridge) was present along with a congregation of over 100.
A fitting tribute to a wonderfully supportive and encouraging man who continues to have many grateful pupils dotted around the world.
We have nearly £1500 worth of sponsorship already and not a note has yet been sung! Do come on Sunday afternoon to St Albans Cathedral 2-5pm. Your £5 entrance ticket not only gets you into the Cathedral Nave for a grand sing but also can be used to sponsor your favourite hymn free-of-charge. All to support the work of St Albans Cathedral Music Trust in safeguarding our musical heritage.
It was a great delight to add two Endowed Chorister places into the Cathedral’s Choirs yesterday.
The Parkinson Choristership (pictured) has been donated by Lady Parkinson, wife of Cecil (Lord) Parkinson. Cecil and Anne both have long associations with St Albans Cathedral. The close family was able to enjoy the new Chorister’s Institution at the 11.15am Choral Eucharist before Lord Parkinson’s ashes were interred in the north churchyard.
Evensong with the Abbey Girls Choir saw the Institution of the first Burton Choristership, generously given by Anonymous donors.
Claude Peter Primrose Burton was Organist and Master of the Music from 1950-1957. A quiet man, he devoted his life to cathedral music but sadly lost his life when rescuing a drowning chorister in July 1957. The chorister survived, but it was not to be so for Peter.
We thank him, and recognise his manifold contribution to the music at St Albans Cathedral during his time at he helm.
Tomorrow I play at the service of Induction for Fr. Darren Collins, the new Rector of the Hatfield Team Ministry. Parry’s I was glad is the anthem to be sung in St Etheldreda’s by the combined choirs from the associated parishes, conducted by Jill Knight. A brass octet will add that extra fizz to proceedings. Mendelssohn’s war horse, The March from Athalie provides the voluntary for the assembled (hopefully not warring) priests.
In my role as Chairman of St Albans Cathedral Music Trust it is always a great moment when a generous supporter endows a chorister’s place in the choir in perpetuity. We are very grateful to John Scott who has endowed a Choristership in memory of his late wife, Lois. To be known as the Lois Scott Chorister, 2016
It was very fitting that the first recipient of the medal was Lois’ grandson, Christian, who was presented with the medal by The Very Reverend Dr Jeffery John, Dean of St Albans. And younger brother, Matthew, was “made up” into a Full Chorister at the same service.
Thank you to all our patrons for your wonderful support of our Cathedral’s music. You support, both financial and encouraging is hugely appreciated by us all.
We’re pleased to welcome Rosemary Field, RSCM Deputy Director with responsibility for Education, to our RSCM St Albans, Hertford and Bedford Area tomorrow evening to Meet, Eat and Sing with the local constituents.
Beginning at 7pm in The Abbey Primary School in St Albans, there will be an opportunity for those coming to meet with the local Area RSCM Committee, eat some delicious fish and chips, and then sing (and of course meet) with Rosemary. The music of Charles Hubert Hastings Parry is on the menu, along with salt and vinegar.
Rosemary and I were at the Royal College of Music in London at the same time and shared a lot of the classes, not least with Dr Robert Ashfield of Rochester Cathedral for keyboard harmony. Always an enjoyable experience on a Friday afternoon when the two of us combined with the humorous Adrian Vernon-Fish whose compositions nowadays are published by Kevin Mayhew.
You’d have to be quick to join in tomorrow. A quick email will suffice provided it’s before we go to the chip shop!
The start of a new school year is full of challenges. And children like a challenge.
There is a lot of evidence that instrumental music tuition enhances the learning of students in numerous ways. Google can take you further on the benefits of music tuition. But learning an instrument with the necessary commitment; cultivating the attention span needed for practice, and nurturing aural awareness – these all help to awaken the music we all have within us.
My wife has currently two spaces for children or adults who might like to learn the piano. She offers a free first lesson – try before you buy(!) – and loads of encouragement and support thereafter. Parents are welcome to attend, too.
Playing the piano’s the aim, but Kate enters pupils regularly for Associated Board (ABRSM) and Trinity/Guildhall exam boards and achieves great results. She knows recognition is important.
We’re in central St Albans and teach at our home. Please email if interested.
St Albans Cathedral Music Trust is holding a fund-raising Hymn Sing on the afternoon of Sunday 9th October. The three Abbey organists will lead the congregation in the hearty rendering of much-loved hymns and, hopefully, raise a few pounds towards sustaining the cathedral’s rich musical tradition.
A sponsorship form is available below giving all you need to know. You can select from the “much-loved” list or choose your own. Either way do come and join the singing!
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