17.04.2015
Christ Church Cathedral’s Music Outreach Programme: Calling Parish Choirs, Choral Directors and Parish Organists
Parish choirs from throughout the United Dioceses are invited to sing Evensong with the combined choirs of Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday May 10 at 3.30 pm. The invitation comes as part of the cathedral’s Music Outreach Programme and choirs or individual singers who wish to take part should attend rehearsal at 2.30 pm on the day. Evensong will be followed, at 4.45 pm, by a reception.
If you would like to take part or require more information, please contact Ian Keatley, organist and director of music at Christ Church Cathedral at ian@christchurch.ie or 01 677 8099. The music for this service is – Parry I was glad, Stanford in C and Ayleward Responses. The cathedral will provide a booklet containing all the sheet music on the day. If you would like copies of any of the music beforehand, please contact Ian.
Meanwhile, there will be a choral conducting workshop for Parish Church Musicians on Thursday May 7 at 6.45 pm to 7.30 pm in Christ Church Cathedral. This is aimed at parish organists and choir directors from Dublin and Glendalough. The workshop will be led by Ian Keatley and participants will be invited, if they wish, to conduct the cathedral choir in a simple motet.
A sample of suggested repertoire will include Ave verum (Byrd), Almighty and everlasting God (Gibbons), God be in my head (Walford Davies) and Locus iste (Anton Bruckner). Only a small number of places is available so if you would like to take part, or require more information, contact Ian by Tuesday May 5 at ian@christchurch.ie or 01 677 8099.
Ian explains that outreach and education is a priority for him and the rest of the cathedral music team. The outreach programme seeks to build upon existing strong and positive relationships with the parish churches of the dioceses. Already, the cathedral choir has visited Kilbride Church near Bray, and St Maelruain’s Church in Tallaght, to support their worship. “As we aspire to meet the actual needs of parish church musicians in the diocese, we are also running a series of training workshops and look forward to sharing ideas on repertoire for parish music–making next term,” he says.
Photo caption: Christ Church Cathedral Choir during their visit to St Maelruain’s, Tallaght, last October.