Rehearsal in action

Last Saturday (12th May) I had the pleasure of directing the North-West Europe RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) Choir Festival.  Held in Brussels, Belgium, participants travelled from far and wide, including Holland, Luxembourg, and Germany, as well as those from cities in Belgium and, of course, me from the UK!

The music was taken from the RSCM‘s recent publication The Word Revealed, focusing on last year’s 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, and included And the glory of the Lord from The Messiah, by Handel and an excellent new anthem commissioned for the book, Vox Christi by Philip Wilby.

The enthusiasm from all taking part was excellent, and the quality of the singing really quite superb for a choir that had come together for the first time that morning.

A couple of videos will be available shortly on Youtube, although they were recorded on my mobile phone, and the quality of audio is very poor, clipping most of the way through – however, it gives a sense of the occasion.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable time and would like to thank everyone who was involved.

If you are looking for someone to lead a choral workshop – particularly amateur singers in church choirs, then I would be very pleased to hear from you via the contact page.

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Houston, Texas, USA

UPDATE: You can see and hear the performance on their video stream here – helpfully it’s the first 2 minutes so easy to find!

On 2nd May, my anthem Spiritus Domine super me, which was written several years ago for the induction of the present Rector of St Stephen’s Church, Canterbury, will be sung at the Mass of Ordination for Bishop-elect George A. Sheltz in the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas, USA.

For more information about the service, visit their website.  A score of Spiritus Domine super me will be available on this website shortly.

Canterbury Cathedral

Over the coming weeks there are two performances of my anthem ‘Teach me, O Lord’.

The first is in Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday 29th March, sung by the Choir of St Stephen’s Church, Canterbury as the anthem during Choral Evensong. The service begins at 5.30pm and anyone wishing to attend is advised to be seating by 5.15. This is a service – part of the daily cycle of worship in the Cathedral – so there is no charge to attend.

The second performance is in a concert by the newly formed choir, Cantus Amoris, a newly formed choir of high quality singers based in the south of England. The concert is part of the Eastbourne Festival and tickets are available here in advance, or on the door if you want to risk it!

It would be lovely to meet anyone attending either of these performances.

St Stephen’s Church Choir will be performing an original composition by Stephen Barker when they sing in Salisbury Cathedral in April.

The anthem – Teach me, O Lord – sets selected verses from Psalm 119 as appointed for the Offertory on the Fifth Sunday of Lent interspersed with a refrain and concluding with a prayer from the Common Worship Psalter.

Music staff at Salisbury Cathedral saw a first draft of the composition last week and were pleased to approve it.

You can hear Teach me, O Lord during Choral Evensong on Tuesday 12th April in Salisbury Cathedral. It is hoped to make a recording available on this website shortly afterwards.

Over the next few weeks I will be uploading some of my own personal work that you are welcome to use where you can; details of new uploads will be added to this news feed when they become available.