NEWS

Constant change

The exodus of young men from the choir continues with some of our brightest and best about to embark on an exciting journey of university life, to join others who are in the middle of their studies:

· Michael Nelson achieved the necessary ‘A level’ grades and is heading to Girton College, Cambridge

· Simon Davies has successfully completed year one of his studies at Queen’s College, Cambridge.

· Michael Duggan is currently studying music at Hull University.

It is always good to see these bright young stars return to join us during their extensive university breaks to enhance the quality of our singing.

Many of our young choristers are about to begin the next exciting stage in their education, moving on to various secondary schools across the city.

We wish all of them every success.

Greetings from The Netherlands

I recently received an e-mail from Theo Rombouts, a member of the Veldhovens Mannenkoor. This choir is based in Veldhoven on the outskirts of Eindhoven, not far from the Belgian border.

Theo says in his e-mail that his choir does a lot of similar singing to ours, and has given me some information about the choir which I have published below.

‘The Veldhovens Mannenkoor has started in 1960 under the direction of Frans van de Goor. Under his leadership and that of his successor Bert Ramakers the singers of the Veldhovens Mannenkoor participated in many national and international competitions and festivals where they gained many first prizes in the highest classes. Initially they cultivated mainly Byzantine hymns but soon the works of composers as Palestrina, Händel, Schubert and Mendelssohn were executed. An impressive repertory has been compiled, consisting of choir works from more than fifteen language areas, contemplative but in some cases very frivolous songs. Since 2005 Nadia Loenders is the choir master. Under her direction the choir has taken a new course. She added the work of modern composers such as Vaughan Williams, Barber en Bestor to the existing repertory.
Nadia Loenders has presented many brilliant performances in choir direction in different countries. She finished her studies at the Koninklijk Vlaams Muziekconservatorium in Antwerp and extended her abilities in Düsseldorf, Vienna and Berlin. She gained the licence Choir Direction at the music academy in Maastricht with great distinction and in Louvain she obtained the certificate "Master in Music". These studies enabled her to cultivate music on a high level, of which the Veldhovens Mannenkoor still takes advantage’.

We send Theo and the Mannenkoor our very best wishes from West Derby!

http://www.veldhovensmannenkoor.nl/

A trip up another tower

Late October saw an unusual visit for boys, mums and others as the huge tower at Liverpool Cathedral was open for visitors during the evening. A group of us met up with Shannon, (who got us very preferential rates) and we slowly made our way, three at a time, up the tower using two lifts and many steps until we emerged, somewhat breathless 331 feet above the ground.

During the ascent, we passed the highest and heaviest peal of church bells in the world, all 31 tons of it. The views from the top were magnificent and the boys were amazed at how far across the city we could see; as they clambered around they felt like they were on top of the world.

It wouldn’t be choir trip if we didn’t hear some of the beautiful music we enjoy every Sunday, and the boys gave a lovely rendition of Simon Lindley’s ‘Mathew, Mark, Luke & John’. A perfect end to an excellent trip.

Kevin Mulcahy

WANTED!

We are looking for more choir boys!

Peter Miller recently visited St. Mary’s School and auditioned a number of boys, some of whom have been offered places in the choir. It may be that other boys would like to join the choir as probationers – no commitment at first, just an exploratory period!

Anyone who has a son aged between six and ten, and who would like to learn more about choir membership is welcome to attend the meeting. Just come along, or mention it to Peter beforehand. A simple audition to judge suitability is necessary at some stage – singing a few notes and a simple hymn usually suffices.

Peter Miller 226 4273 / 07753 258 504 pmiller1946@hotmail.co.uk

BITTER, BLACK SHOES AND BREWER IN D

Interesting reading in my bank holiday Telegraph….Fewer and fewer boys are applying for places in schools attached to cathedrals, churches and university college chapels. The chief reason for this fall is the reluctance of parents to commit their children to the demands it makes on their time, whether it be daily evensong or Sunday services.

The shortage is having a knock-on effect by depleting the pool from which lay clerks - adult male singers - are largely drawn, threatening the future of a musical tradition that has existed for more than a thousand years.

The Master of the Music at York Minster, Philip Moore, said numbers had also been hit by the decline of parish church choirs, a recruiting ground for the boy choristers needed to produce the distinctively pure sound of English cathedral choirs.

Church choirs themselves have also been hit by evangelical clergy who have introduced "happy clappy" worship with guitars and drums.

The Daily Telegraph comments: "The music performed in our cathedrals, churches and chapels, ad majorem Dei gloriam, is one of the pinnacles of our culture. Singing services is both physically demanding and aesthetically satisfying, and often held in a ravishing architectural setting. Far from being reluctant to commit their children, parents should be encouraging them to volunteer for an experience that will enrich the rest of their lives.

Here in West Derby we still manage to maintain a choir of men and boys - though, just like Paul Hale, the Rector Chori at Southwell Minster, the author of this article also occasionally "wakes up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night" worrying about the future of the choir and its members!

Saint Mary's has the only traditional Anglican Church choir of men and boys in the Liverpool area, apart from the two cathedrals. There has been such a choir in Saint Mary's from the very beginning. Our predecessors, men and local boys, sang at the laying of the foundation stone in 1853 when, with ceremonial trowel, the Earl of Sefton descended into an excavation and put the stone in its place.

The choir has always enjoyed a good reputation. Currently we have eighteen boys in the choir who work very hard to perform a variety of choral music at our services - two sung services every Sunday at least, and at least two weekday practices every week as well! In Holy Week (which I count as lasting for ten days, Friday to Easter Day, 7th to 16th April) the boys attended every day, often twice a day, for practices and services. There were never fewer than twelve boys at a service, usually more - a fantastic record! They sang about twenty different pieces of music - not including all the different settings, psalms and hymns. And, of course, the boys' parents spent much time ferrying, fetching and carrying the boys around, washing surplices, and cleaning black shoes and grimy faces.

Our loyal group of men (all ex-choir boys from somewhere or other!) supported the boys superbly, again attending extra practices and singing at daily services - quite unique for a parish church choir, and a considerable achievement. It was good to welcome back once more Adam Price, Gerard Thompson and Jonathan Yates from university.

We need more choir boys now. Please have a word with me if you know of a boy who might be interested in joining the choir. A short, simple audition will be arranged. We practise every Monday and Friday. The boys meet for football at about 6.15 pm (either in the Millennium Centre or on our own pitch!) and this is followed by drinks before the practice proper begins at 7.00 pm.

We also urgently need men to sing alto, tenor or bass. It helps if you can read music and, again, a short audition will be arranged. Please ask if you want to know more. We will share our mints with you and might buy you a pint after choir practice - on the first occasion!

Peter Miller