A Celebratory Royal Visit

The Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust was honoured to welcome our Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO to Wells yesterday. Her Royal Highness visited the new WCCT office and attended a special lunch to celebrate the Trust’s latest special fundraising initiative, the Coronation Fund.

Her Royal Highness and the Lord-Lieutenant, Mohammed Saddiq, were met by Arnold Wills, Chairman, at the door to Polydor House where the new WCCT office is now located. Mr Wills escorted Her Highness into the office to meet Ms Hannah Candlin, Clerk to the Trustees, and Ms Hannah Unwin, Administration Assistant, as well as the Cathedral School’s Bursar, Mr Robert McCartney, and Director of Music, Mr Alex Laing. The Duchess was shown around the new office which includes posters for past WCCT fundraising events as well as a lovely sequence of photographs of choristers from across the years.

The party then moved on to the Drawing Room of Cedars House where Mr Wills presented many of the Coronation Fund Donors, Friends and Ambassadors of the WCCT, before moving on to Cedars Hall where Mr Wills presented civic guests and Wells Cathedral staff, including the Precentor, The Reverend Canon Mary Bide, and the Acting Director of Music, Mr Alexander Hamilton.

A Somerset Ploughman’s was served at lunch, consisting entirely of locally-sourced produce and drinks, and Her Highness sat with former choristers, Gregory Wills and Maddie Perring, both now studying at music college, and recent leavers and current choristers, Oliver Jenkins, Aleksei Lichter, Rosie Bennett and Estella Fawden. Following lunch, Mr Wills addressed the attendees and Her Highness signed the Visitor’s Book before departing.

More photographs will follow soon

The Choristers Make Their Video Game Debut!

Alexander Hamilton conducts the Choristers recording a video game soundtrack by David Buckley

The Choristers had a busy morning today recording the soundtrack for a new video game with music composed by former Chorister now Hollywood composer, David Buckley. After their usual morning rehearsal, they enjoyed the treat of a hot drink and a snack in the Cathedral Café before heading up to the Chapter House to record. The Choristers did a fantastic job, and the experience, new to almost all of them, was great preparation for a recording which will take place in June.

Tomorrow on Maundy Thursday, the Choir will return to more familiar territory with music by Frank Martin and Maurice Duruflé to begin the Triduum leading up to Easter Day.

Please CLICK HERE to view the Music List for the remainder of Holy Week.

That’s a wrap! Composer, David Buckey (left) with the Choristers and Alexander Hamilton after a successful recording session

A Sparkling Ceremony!

The Choristers gave a sparkling performance on Saturday of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols. Performing to a full nave, with Alexander Hamilton conducting and Eluned Pierce playing the harp, they together brought out the magic of this extraordinary work.

The Choristers' singing was committed and brilliant, and they clearly demonstrated their love of the music. The audience’s appreciation was clear! Particular credit must go to the soloists: Estella, Petra, Alma, Aleksei, Thomas and Bea, Alma and Aleksei.

Amongst many guests we were particularly pleased to welcome Somerset’s High Sheriff, Robert Drewett, and his wife Celia.

Many thanks to the hundreds of people who came to hear the Choristers and supported the work of the Trust.

Photos by Jason Bryant

New Director of Music Announced

Arnold Wills, Chair of WCCT, writes: "We have heard today that Timothy Parsons, presently Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, will be coming to Wells as Director of Music in September 2024. We look forward to welcoming Tim and his wife Cressida to Wells in September and to working with him as the Trust, now in its 21st year, continues its valuable work supporting Choristers.”

The full announcement from the Cathedral is reproduced below.

Wells Cathedral is delighted to announce that Timothy Parsons has been appointed as its next Director of Music and will take up the post on 1 September 2024.

Timothy is presently Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, a position he has held since April 2021. Prior to this appointment, and from September 2016, Timothy was Assistant Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral.

Timothy is a very fine musician and composer of liturgical music. He is a gifted conductor with a talent for encouraging and bringing out the best in singers of all ages whilst improving on the level of performance. Since his arrival at St Edmundsbury, over forty new Choristers have joined the Cathedral Choir, as well as a brand new team of six professional Vicars Choral.

The gifts that Timothy brings will enhance the worship and mission of the Cathedral, by working collaboratively with colleagues, promoting musical outreach and finding ways of ensuring that the high standard of music in Wells is sustained. Timothy has also been Interim Musical Director for Bury Bach Choir, including directing a performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Bury Apex in March 2023.

Timothy comments: “I am thrilled to have been appointed Director of Music at Wells Cathedral. It will be a privilege to lead its world-famous musical tradition for the next stage of its history. Cressida and I are greatly looking forward to our move to Wells and to becoming part of the life of the Cathedral in September.”

The Acting Dean of Wells, Anne Gell comments: “Timothy brings exceptional musical skills as choir director, organist and composer as well as energy, enthusiasm, and a passion and vision for Cathedral music with the potential it has to enhance and change lives. We look forward to welcoming him to Wells, to all that he will add to the life of the Cathedral and to further exciting developments in music at Wells, under his leadership”.

The Dean of St. Edmundsbury, Joe Hawes, comments: “Timothy has brought exceptional skills to his role as Director of Music and has really enriched the music programme here during his three years at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. He has made such a memorable contribution to the worship and musical life of the Cathedral, as well as developing great partnerships with our local schools. We are very sad to see him go but we wish him all the very best for his new role at Wells.”

Image © Emma Solley / St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Wishing all our supporters a Very Merry Christmas!

It’s been a wonderful season of exquisite music performed to the highest of standards. Our indefatigable Director of Music, Alexander Hamilton, has conducted the Choir through the Advent Carol Service, all of the Advent season services, three brilliant sell-out Carols by Candlelight concerts, the Cathedral Carol Service, and of course all of the Christmas services.

Whilst we await the arrival of our new Assistant Director of Music, it’s been a privilege and pleasure to welcome two brilliant guest organists in Richard Pinel and Martin Baker, whose playing has been hugely appreciated. We offer our congratulations and thanks to them all and wish them a very restful break before their return in the new year.

Before they left to begin their very well-deserved post-Christmas break, the Choristers had one final message for all of you, our supporters, without whom the Choir would not be able to offer the wonderful opportunities to our young singers that it does. Please enjoy the short video below!

Congratulations Beatrice and Thomas!

Huge Congratulations to Senior Choristers, Beatrice and Thomas, who this Sunday were presented with the Elizabeth Tudway-Quilter Choristership and Iain Ball Choristership respectively. Bea and Thomas are pictured here, proudly wearing their new medals, with Acting Director of Music, Alexander Hamilton, and the Acting Precentor, The Reverend Prebendary Mary Bide.

Both Beatrice and Thomas are in Year 8, and these Choristerships were awarded to them to mark and celebrate their outstanding contribution to the Cathedral Choir.

The two Choristerships are named in memory of two great supporters of the Cathedral and Choir, Iain also having been Chairman of the Trust.

Tallis Voices to return this coming January

We're delighted that the Tallis Voices are returning to Wells Cathedral this coming January for their annual concert that they put on so generously entirely in aid of our Trust.

Their programme will feature some gems of the sacred choral repertoire, focussing on Renaissance music that commemorates the first Christian martyr, St Stephen, and the Holy Innocents.

As one of the Cathedral's Promenade Concerts, the audience will be free to walk the glorious open space of the building during the performance, the usual chairs all having been removed. ONE NOT TO MISS!

BOOK TICKETS HERE

 

Iestyn Davies and The WCCT annual evensong

Friday 6th October marked the beginning of an exciting weekend for The Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust.  We welcomed Iestyn Davies, world renowned countertenor, to Cedars Hall for what was a spectacular musical evening featuring the choristers of Wells Cathedral. The evening started with Iestyn, accompanied by Joe Middleton on piano, performing songs of Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin and was followed by a charming semi-staged performance of the final scene from Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Choristers alongside soprano Elizabeth Donovan.

Saturday afternoon was The Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust’s annual evensong. Beforehand, we were joined by key supporters for afternoon tea with the Choristers, in the glorious Quilters Hall. After sufficient amounts of cake (no such thing for the choristers) we headed over to the Cathedral where the choristers sung confidently and beautifully.

Over the course of the weekend, we were fortunate enough to be joined by the Cathedral Music Trust and we are so pleased that so many of their members were able to attend the concert and Evensong. We have received wonderful feedback and would like to express our gratitude to the choristers for all their hard work.

 
 
google-site-verification: google53b5e9818af91524.html