Latest News
from Wells Cathedral Choir
Each week, music-streaming service, Spotify features a different composer and offers a playlist of some of their works as a definite introduction to that composer's music. Last week's composer was John Tavener and we were pleased to see that the choir's recent recording of Tavener's music featured with the track They are All Gone into the World of Light.
If you have a Spotify account then you can listen to the complete playlist by clicking here.
Nicholas Freestone (L) and William Fox (R)
We were very proud to hear this week that two of our former organ scholars have been appointed to posts at St Paul's Cathedral.
Nicholas Freestone (Wells Cathedral Senior Organ Scholar 2014-15) has already spent three months as Organ Scholar at St Paul's and has now been appointed as Acting Sub Organist for the next six months. Nick has previously also held posts at Tewkesbury Abbey and St Albans Cathedral.
William Fox (Wells Cathedral Junior Organ Scholar 2012-14) is currently completing his undergraduate degree in Music at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he is also Organ Scholar. He will be succeeding Nick to the post of Sub-Organist at St Paul's Cathedral in July. On leaving Wells, Will went on to be organ scholar at Hereford Cathedral for his gap year.
We wish them both our sincere congratulations and look forward to hearing more of their successes in the future.
You can read the full announcement from St Paul's Cathedral here.
We were delighted to hear today that our former chairman, Iain Ball has been awarded the MBE for 'services to Cathedral Choral Music and to Young People'. We are obviously thrilled that Iain's hard work has been recognised and rewarded with such a prestigious accolade. When Iain retired as chairman in 2014, Elizabeth Cairncross, Principal of Wells Cathedral School, wrote the following tribute to him:
Iain Ball became chair of what was then the Wells Cathedral Girl Chorister Trust in 2004, after Canon Melvyn Matthews and I used what we like to think was tact, diplomacy and vision to persuade him. He tells it differently! The Trust had had a shaky start. It needed strong, inspired leadership, advocacy and drive. Iain brought all those qualities and more.
He works very hard. His meticulous preparation for trustees’ meetings, his seeking out of good people to be trustees (which continued even into the clear eyed succession plans for his own departure as chair), his thorough planning for events, and his building of a team to help him do that - all these were just the outward manifestation of hours of reflection and planning. And he worries productively. He told me that, having finished his term as chair, he could now sleep easily – and I don’t think it was an exaggeration.
Iain had – has – a vision for the Trust which has enabled him to lead the raising of a million pounds thus far. It meant that he steered its evolution into a trust for boy and girl choristers alike, when that became desirable, with charm and firmness, and managed to retain the support of those with a particular commitment to the girls’ cause. He has shared that vision with countless people, including his own friend Lady Marina Hobson, who has been such a generous enabler, and including HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who has become not only the Trust’s royal patron, but its friend and foremost cheerleader.
![Iain Ball [centre] welcomes HRH The Countess of Wessex to Wells Cathedral School on her first official visit in 2007](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57276fc98259b57662112858/1514671365384-AAJOWEZWQ1P1SQ5A792L/Meeting+Iain+Ball.jpg)
Iain Ball [centre] welcomes HRH The Countess of Wessex to Wells Cathedral School on her first official visit in 2007
He has supported the whole choir through the opportunities for new and interesting music which Trust activities have given, and many people have had hours of quality entertainment through Trust events. And Iain is, above all else, generous. He shares his contacts and his friends – like Lady Marina – and he shares his hospitality. (He once told me that he believes it is a sacrament.) He thanks people warmly, quickly, and personally. He is trenchant, and he is kind. So he achieves things!
Helen [Iain's wife] has been a willing, generous and thoughtful ally and supporter through all these years, and needs our thanks as well. There are choristers now in the choir and the school who would not be there if it were not for Trust funding. There are young adult musicians making an impact for good in the world who started their musical careers in the choir because of the support of the Trust.
And perhaps his greatest success is that he leaves the leadership of the Trust at a point when it is both solid and developing, with clear ambition for the future, and the ability to realise that ambition. We owe Iain a great deal!
Elizabeth Cairncross
Principal, Wells Cathedral School
The choristers have been rehearsing hard over the past few days for both the Christmas services and the annual Carols by Candlelight Concerts. The two concerts, featuring a selection of seasonal music and readings, are performed in the nave Wells Cathedral lit only by candles - almost 3,500 of them!
We're delighted to hear that both of this year's concerts are completely sold out! But don't worry if you haven't got tickets and were hoping to hear the choir in full festive song this Christmas season: there are two carol services and the three services of Christmas Day itself yet to come. All details can be found on the Wells Cathedral website - CLICK HERE.
One of our choristers, Harry, recently had an unexpected catch-up with our Royal Patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex. Harry's father is the Second-in-Command of 5 RIFLES and Harry was attending the battalion's Homecoming Parade and Celebration at Ward Barracks, Bulford, in the presence of Her Highness. The sharp-eyed Countess instantly recognised Harry's Wells Cathedral School blazer and came over to talk to him - a lovely surprise for them both!
Tomorrow afternoon, the Boy and Girl Choristers with the Vicars Choral will be performing Duruflé's sublime Requiem in a devotional Remembrance Sunday performance, interspersed with readings of war poetry. Duruflé wrote, “This Requiem is entirely composed on the Gregorian themes of the Mass for the Dead… It is not an ethereal work which sings detached from worldly anxiety. It reflects, in the unchangeable form of the Christian prayer, the anguish of man facing the mystery of his last ending.”
Do join us if you can at 3pm in the nave of Wells Cathedral. Admission is free with a retiring collection.
The choir's Joubert CD is featured as the 'Star Review' in this month's Choir & Organ magazine and has been awarded a 'Highly Recommended' rating. Another fantastic recognition of the level of music-making of Wells Cathedral Choir. You can read the full review below.
Delighted Chorister, Dan gets his copy signed by Howard Skempton
What an inspiring week! The new music wells 77-17 festival has come to an end and we are reflecting on how much has been packed into the last few days: 7 services, 3 lunchtime concerts, an organ recital, a masterclass with Howard Skempton, 'Composer Conversations' with Lord (Michael) Berkeley CBE, and no fewer than 9 world premieres (including a bell-ringing method!)! It's hard to select a particular highlight but yesterday's service of Choral Evensong, sung by both the boy and girl choristers with the Vicars Choral, was something special. Not only did it include the premiere of Howard Skempton's Preces and Responses (which we have no doubt will spread into regular use nationwide), but we were also treated to Michael Berkeley's exquisite anthem, 'Listen, Listen, O my Child', and John Joubert's extraordinary and stirring Evening Canticles in C. The choristers were keen to gather autographs from the gathered composers at the reception afterwards, where the Cathedral Commissioners joined us too. It served as a wonderful celebration at the end of a wonderful week's music-making.
Matthew Owens (Organist and Master of the Choristers) with (from L-R) Philip Wilby, Lord Berkeley CBE, Rebecca Farthing (pupil at Wells Cathedral School), Judith Bingham (President of new music wells), Howard Skempton, and Jeremy Cole (Assistant Organist)
Composer Paul Drayton congratulates members of the Vicars Choral Edward Goater and Christopher Sheldrake following their performance of his song cycle during Monday's lunchtime concert.
The boys and men in rehearsal
Choristers Ross gets Judith Bingham's autograph
The choristers line up for Howard Skempton's autograph following their premiere of his Preces and Responses
Matthew Owens addresses the gathering of composers and Cathedral Commissioners
The long line of choristers with autograph requests - Howard Skempton had his work cut out!
On Saturday 14 October, the Cathedral again hosted its fabulous, free ‘behind the scenes’ day, where children were able to experience the life of a Cathedral chorister.
Forty-one girls and boys, aged between seven and ten, came from schools across Somerset and beyond for the annual Be a Chorister for a Day event where they met the Cathedral choristers and participated in singing workshops. The day culminated in singing Choral Evensong in the Quire of the Cathedral with the award-winning and world-renowned choir. The children performed the anthem Love Divine by Howard Goodall, helped the choir lead the two hymns in the service, and learned to process in and out.
There were also events for the children’s parents, including a tour of Wells Cathedral School and Tea in the historic Vicars’ Hall. It was a great success and everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
If you are interested in the 2018 event, please contact the Cathedral Music Office via musicoffice@wellscathedral.uk.net. If you can’t wait that long you may like to join Wells Cathedral Song Squad, which meets on Tuesday nights. Contact Tricia Rees-Jones via triciarj1@gmail.com for more details.
We're now just over a month into the new choir year and so it seems high time that we got to know some of the newer faces in the Music Foundation. This week we learn a little more about our three new Choral Scholars.
Finn Lacey (alto) was born at home in Twickenham. Despite living spitting distance from the world-renowned Twickenham rugby stadium, Finn enjoyed kicking a football as a pastime and hence began a youth career, albeit a brief one, with Brentford FC Academy at the age of 7. Shortly after, Finn auditioned to be a chorister at Hampton Court Palace with secular classics such as ‘I Want You Back’ by the Jackson 5 and ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?’ by Jimmy Ruffin. Despite this questionable programme, Finn was successful and he became a probationer at the Palace, but this was again short lived.
In 2008, Finn auditioned to be apart of Wells Cathedral Choir. After his successful audition came the beginning of a demanding and often challenging yet equally rewarding treble career at Wells Cathedral. Finn was given the opportunity to sing on CD recordings, in live broadcasts, and on tours to The Hague, Hong Kong and China. Shortly after the trip to the Far East came the inevitable voice change that left Finn a treble no more.
The lack of choir commitments allowed time for both free weekends and sport which Finn found refreshing but, finding that the large void left by choristership being replaced with only unwelcome exams and teenage angst, it was only a matter of time before Finn re-entered the choral world. Finn knew he wanted to be an alto; artists such as Art Garfunkel, Plan B, The Bee Gees and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys had all used their falsetto, thus making the alto voice that bit more appealing over the perhaps more traditional tenor or bass parts for Finn.
In 2016 Finn became the alto choral scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral and promptly fell back in love with singing. After a so-so set of A-level retakes, Finn began looking for a new choral endeavour after Portsmouth. For old times’ sake above anything else, Finn auditioned for Matthew Owens once more (now as a 6ft tall, hairy countertenor!) and was pleasantly surprised at his success for the second time!
Finn is an avid Liverpool fan and film fanatic but above all he is a fervent (verging on psychotic) listener to music. Finn’s favourite album is the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’, with perhaps the only LP to rival this being Brian Wilson’s follow up album and swansong ‘SMilE’. If only it were finished... Finn is enjoying being in Wells for another year and is rediscovering the place he calls his home.
Oliver Chubb (tenor) has recently completed his undergraduate degree in Music at the University of Bristol, specialising in composition and performance. He began his musical life as a chorister at Portsmouth Cathedral, which founded a lifelong love of choral music. Though he didn’t realise it at the time, being a chorister would play a huge part in his musical education and his appreciation of cathedral music.
In addition to singing, Oliver is also a keen trumpeter; he began playing at the age of six with the sole intention of “making people’s ears explode”; residents of Vicars’ Close will be pleased to know he has long since abandoned this desire! His time at Portsmouth Cathedral also had a part in his education in trumpet by giving him the opportunity to play The Last Post while still a chorister and, after his voice took its natural downward course, he continued to play as a trumpeter for larger services, including on the 2014 BBC Radio 4 Christmas Morning Broadcast.
During his time at the University of Bristol, Oliver has performed in many ensembles; he was the principal trumpet of the University Chamber Orchestra for two years and as a singer has sung both as choir member and as a soloist, most notably while on tour with the University in Prague last year (Schubert's Mass in F) and Barcelona this year (Mozart's Requiem). In his final year at Bristol, he was awarded both the JH Britton Award and the Performance Prize by the Music Department. As well as his studies at University, Oliver was a choral scholar at Bristol Cathedral, with whom he performed live on BBC Radio 3 and on BBC One TV in the 2016 Christmas Morning Service, as well as taking part in the recording of the choir’s new CD.
Oliver’s favourite musical experience was singing in the BBC Proms Youth Choir in Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle at the BBC Proms, closely followed by Verdi’s Requiem Marin Alsop the following year.
Another reason for Oliver pursuing a career in music is that it serves as an excellent travel agent - recent excursions have been to places such as Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Bordeaux, Barcelona, Cornwall and Brittany.
Since leaving the university, he has given two public recitals in his native Hampshire accompanied by his former choirmaster, and one in Bristol accompanied by former Wells Cathedral Assistant Organist, David Bednall.
Oliver is active as a performer in the Bristol music scene and has played and sung for many local orchestras and choirs. Other pursuits have included conducting a small choir specialising in 20th-century repertoire, and founding a Bristol-based function band (now available for booking!). Like his alto counterpart Finn, Oliver’s days consist of waking up in the afternoon and eagerly waiting for the beginning of evensong, a plight common amongst the choral scholar species. Readers who take pity will be relieved to know that he is readily available for hire as a trumpeter for lessons, weddings and funerals (the bar tab won’t pay itself...).
Harry Guthrie (bass) has been singing for ten years; he joined Bedford School’s Chapel Choir at the age of nine, and he’s been hooked ever since. Aged 10, he joined the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, singing in many of the main concert venues and cathedrals across the UK, including the Royal Albert Hall, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Birmingham Symphony Hall, and many others. He’s also been on some pretty good holidays (aka music tours!) singing in Notre Dame, Paris, St Mark’s, Venice, and Chartres Cathedral.
A few years ago, Harry’s school choir was the only robed choir to take part in the annual Festival of Remembrance in the Albert Hall – made unforgettable by standing just a few feet away from the star of the show, Pixie Lott! However, what was forgettable was falling down the Albert Hall's stairs in cassock and surplice - thankfully no harm done!
Harry is also co-founder (and arranger) of the ‘Bedford Sharps’, an a cappella group of Bedford School students who perform concerts in their local area. When he’s finished his choral scholarship at Wells, Harry is off to read Music at Trinity College, Cambridge. Outside of music, he’s a passionate Manchester United supporter and likes to play golf with friends.
