Chorister numbers buoyant

Cathedral choristers have plenty to sing about. Not only are their numbers buoyant but over 1,000 are actively promoting the joy of singing to primary school peers all over England.

The latest CSA census reports a rise in boy choristers of nearly 5% to 737 in September 2008. The number of girls at the 37 choir schools in the survey also rose to 209 – a 3.5% increase.

Speaking at the CSA Conference in May, former Chairman of CSA Jonathan Milton said: “Never have these children, young professionals from the age of 7+, been in finer voice.

“Not only do they relish their daily role in our Cathedrals, but they have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity the Government’s National Singing Programme has given them to share their passion and skills with other children.”

Chorister scholarships vary from cathedral to cathedral. Boys and girls in the 2008 survey received a total of very nearly £7.4m in support compared with £6.4m the previous year.

Much of this comes from cathedral and choir school foundations but the figure also includes £200,000 from the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme chorister fund.

Mr Milton, Headmaster of Westminster Abbey Choir School added: “Choristers come from all walks of life; what they have in common is a passion for singing. The rise in chorister numbers, albeit small, is good news but we are in no way complacent. We have to work much harder to attract choristers in a tough economic climate and an increasingly secular society. Like other churches, we are competing against all the weekend activities, sporting and otherwise. But our choristers don’t just sing – they enjoy so much more besides and that’s what makes the schools so special – they have the best of both worlds.

“If one had to tick boxes of a national curriculum, so many are covered by a choir school education. It shapes a chorister for the rest of his or her life. We are the custodians of a priceless heritage.”

 

Tune-in Children!

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has launched an exciting new project entitled Tune In: Year of Music which will run through the academic year 2009-10, in conjunction with a host of music and cultural organisations across the country such as The Royal Opera House, The O2, The Sage Gateshead and many others, including CSA.

Friday, 11 September: Newcastle Cathedral choristers and Director of Music Michael Stoddart, pictured in front of The Sage Gateshead. They were part of Tune-in’s Dawn Chorus, just one of many events over the country which launched the Year of Music.

A collection of ambassadors including Jamie Cullum, Katherine Jenkins and Vanessa Mae are part of a team of celebrity advisers hoping to inspire children and highlight the broad range of musical opportunities available.

Secretary of State at the DCSF, Ed Balls, said: “Far from being a ‘soft subject’, the benefits of music are simply too important to ignore. We have invested £330million in music since 2008 which has provided nearly one million primary school children with access to free music tuition, along with hundreds of other opportunities to perform and learn from experts in the field, through programmes like Sing Up and Music Partnerships with world class classical musicians like the London Symphony Orchestra.

“But we want this investment to reach every child, to broaden more young people’s horizons and create more chances for them to both enjoy and learn from music and dance. I want the National Year of Music to celebrate our great and diverse musical heritage, to champion our remarkable young talent, and enable more children and young people to experience the fantastic musical opportunities that are on offer in this country.”

Choristers have been part of this country’s musical heritage for centuries. We have a choral tradition which is the envy of the world and CSA and its members look forward to playing a very active part in this year’s celebrations.

 

Sing Up’s Agenda

More Resources
Lots more online support is planned, including easier access to the 300+ songs already in the Song Bank.

Masses of Training
The Workforce Development team based at The Sage Gateshead looks after a network of 30 area leaders and part of their brief is to engage schools not yet signed up with Sing Up! They are also providing singing training for those in charge of some 400,000 children being educated ‘beyond the mainstream’. At the same time the team is continuing to nurture and extend existing partnerships.

Awards for Schools
Sing Up’s Awards Programme is available to all state primary and independent schools. Well over 1,000 schools have signed up for Silver, Gold and Platinum awards so far. We hope more choir schools will want to sign up too, as well as the many primary schools involved with the Chorister Outreach Programme. Anyone who knows a school with inspirational music direction can email Kate Gibson at Sing Up! for more information.

Funded Programmes
This part of Sing Up! supports a wide variety of projects working with a host of organisations including: The Association of British Choral Directors, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Ex Cathedra, Opera North, Voices Foundation, Sing for Pleasure and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain to name but a few.

 

 

Introducing CSA’s New Chair

Elizabeth and Wells Cathedral Director of Music Matthew Owen (on the right) give a thumbs up following their first-ever skydive! They were raising funds for the girls’ choir.

Elizabeth Cairncross, Head of Wells Cathedral School since 2000, is the new Chair of the Association. Her school is one of the Government’s four independent specialist music schools as well as being a choir school. It also has many students who are not specialist musicians and is a wonderful model of a ‘school family’.

She has taught English with “immense enjoyment” at a number of schools: at King Edward’s, Witley where she was also responsible for the induction of day pupils in a very traditional boarding culture; at Kingston Grammar School, combined with introducing co-education in a traditionally male environment; and at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham where she was Deputy Head for 14 years.

She is currently a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) Inspection Steering Group and on the editorial committee of HMC’s magazine Conference and Common Room. She is also a Trustee of the Bulkeley Evans charity which awards grants for GAP year community projects abroad for school leavers from HMC schools.

Elizabeth and husband Andrew have three children. She has many interests including music, the 19th century novel, skiing, mountain walking and swimming.

Stepping down after his two- year stint as Chairman, Jonathan Milton writes: “I am delighted to be handing over to Elizabeth. She brings her huge experience not only of a choir school but also of the wider specialist music education world and we shall benefit from this enormously.

“Having served on the Committee and its working group for several years, she knows only too well the opportunities which lie ahead of us, and her leadership will be invaluable.

“I hope that she will enjoy her period of chairmanship as much as I have enjoyed mine. It has been a privilege to have worked closely with colleagues, getting to know their individual schools and watching the Association continue to grow in its influence nationally and indeed internationally.”

Elizabeth has recently become a freeman of the Ironmongers’ Company, and hopes in due course to be admitted to its livery. It’s the tenth of the ‘great twelve’‚ the earliest companies which developed from medieval guilds and craft societies, and one of the smaller ones. Incorporated in 1463 for iron merchants it now administers charities supporting the use and care of iron, care of the elderly and education, primarily in state schools in England and Wales. There are Ironmonger presentees at Christ’s Hospital and Elizabeth saw there first hand both the commitment to education of the Company, and also the difference its support made for individuals. The Company also has an innovative university scholarship scheme to support undergraduates needing financial assistance to study subjects that relate to the iron and steel industry.

Why has Elizabeth joined? Because of the Company’s commitment to education at all stages from primary to postgraduate, because it was keen to admit more women – and, mainly, because Ironmongers their individual schools and watching the Association continue to grow in its influence nationally and indeed internationally.”

 

Memorable Occasions!

Choristers perform at numerous high profile occasions every year but two recent ones stand out. Wells Cathedral choristers were called back in August to sing at the funeral of Harry Patch – the last British veteran of the First World War. The family had requested ‘Where have all the flowers gone’ by Pete Seeger, sung beautifully by 15 year-old head chorister Nelleke Lapido. As she said: “Singing at Mr Patch’s funeral was such a privilege... I could tell this was probably going to be one of the most special occasions I would ever sing at. It is such a powerful song, and the words so deep and meaningful. I hope I was able to show everyone how he felt about the war and that my singing helped make the occasion even more special for his family.”

More recently the football world filled Durham Cathedral to remember Sir Bobby Robson and choristers played a vital role in making this widely publicised service something special. Liam Jones will treasure the memory of singing ‘Pie Jesu’ with Katherine Jenkins!

 

 

Membership changes

Tish Burton is planning a “gentle, quiet retirement” after her exciting two years at the helm of Ripon Cathedral Choir School! She has been succeeded by Chris McDade, former Director of Music and 6thFormTutor at StEdmund’s School, Canterbury.

Neil Chippington, a house-master from Winchester College, has succeeded Andrew Dobbin as Head- master of St Paul’s Cathedral School.

Michael Stoddart, previously Assistant Organist at Portsmouth Cathedral is now well-settled into his role as Director of Music at Newcastle Cathedral, following Scott Farrell’s move to Rochester Cathedral.

Father David Wright has succeeded David Frith as Rector of St Peter’s Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton.

Jo Mason has been succeeded at Polwhele House, Truro by Alex McCullough, former academic director at Foremarke Hall in Derbyshire, junior school for Repton. His wife Helen, pre-prep deputy head at Foremarke, is also playing an active role at Polwhele.

 

 

Thank you Jonathan

As Jonathan Milton finishes his term as Chairman the Association would like to put on record its enormous gratitude for the huge contribution he has made. He has worked tirelessly for CSA and its members – it is very much appreciated!