CSA Chair: Elizabeth Cairncross, Headteacher of Wells Cathedral School
Vice-Chairman: Jonathan Milton, Headmaster of Westminster Abbey Choir School
Budding Composers - congratulations!
This year's CSA Chorister Composition Competition has been won by William Rowland who leaves Westminster Abbey Choir School this summer. His composition was a short introit using part of a prayer written by Sir Thomas More before his execution 'Give me, Good Lord, a full faith'.
In second place was Hugh Chilcott (St Paul's Cathedral School) with his composition 'Personent Hodie' with Arthur Landman (King's College School, Cambridge) in third place with 'Give me, Good Lord, a full faith'.
Adjudicator Alison Cox, Head of Composition at The Purcell School, was so impressed with this year's entries that she also highly commended two more entries - from Beans Balawi and Jamie Elliott, both choristers at Westminster Abbey.
Go to Events to read more about:
123sing! - a weekend of singing at the beginning of October
News about the RCO choral conducting workshop on 9 October
Conference Report 2010
Elizabeth chaired the Association's annual conference at Christ Church, Oxford from 3-5 May 2010. Guest speakers were: Professor Tim Blinko from the University of Herts; Dr Jenevora Williams who has just completed research on boys' voices; Dr Tim Hands, Master of Magdalen College School; and journalist and chorister parent Peter Kingston.
We were delighted to welcome representatives from two overseas members: Charles Wallace from St Thomas's New York and Malcolm and Gen Long from Christchurch Grammar School in New Zealand.
Click Singing Out! to your left for the latest issue of the Association's newsletter. If you would prefer a hard copy please email janecapon@btinternet.com and we will post this to you by return.
Chorister Outreach
42 Chorister Outreach Programmes (COP) are just finishing their 2009-2010 programmes. Government funding for work directly with primary schools has now come to an end so each COP project is busy securing funding to continue their highly successful (and rewarding) work in their communities. If you can support your local programme in anyway they would love to hear from you!
See CSA Partnerships for more information about the outreach scheme.
Zimbe! Out of Africa and Back Again
Several outreach programmes have performed Alexander L'Estrange's Zimbe! with great success and enjoyment. This 40 minute sequence of songs from all over Africa has just been released on CD and was launched on day one of the South African FIFA World Cup. It doesn't fail to leave performers and audiences alike uplifted.
This first commercial recording was made by Alexander, his wife Joanna and an ad hoc choir made up of friends, colleagues and relatives. The children's choir comes from Haileybury Lower School.
Alexander was a chorister at New College and is a talented and popular jazz musician. He plays both piano and double bass on the recording. Howard Goodall (also a New College chorister) has said of him: "If you had to create from scratch the perfect 21st century musician, Alexander L'Estrange would be your template."
Zimbe! is published by Faber Music or visit www.zimbe.net
The CD is released on the andagio label www.andagio.com. A portion of sales revenue is being donated to the charity Nyumbani with helps orphans of Aids victims in Africa.
Treat yourself!
Christ Church Headmaster, Martin Bruce, is an accomplished composer and those of you who have already heard his De Profundis will be delighted to know it has been recorded. Written at the request of organist Stephen Darlington, it received its first performance in 2008. Now it has been recorded by Voces Urbanae (which includes Martin who sings alto), Directed by Christopher Watson with Clive Driskill-Smith, sub organist at Christ Church, on the organ.
It is on the Herald label HAVPCD 355. www.heraldav.co.uk
Broadcasts
Radio 3's Choral Evensong - now on Wednesday with repeats on Sunday
See the Calendar for more details
Radio 3 - The Choir (6.30pm on Sundays)
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