Choir Chaplain celebrates 25 years ordained!

Mgr Philip Moger, Parish Priest of First Martyrs Church in Bradford, and Chaplain to the Bradford Youth Choir recently celebrated the 25th annivarsary of his ordination to the priesthood.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Mgr Moger is Chair of the Diocese of Leeds Liturgy Commission, and a great friend of the music department.


Ad Multos Annos Monsignor!


For a brief report and pictures, click here.

Popes' words on Choral Singing

Inspiring words from the Holy Father:

Pope: Choral Singing Educates for Peace

Calls It Training for LifeLORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy, JULY 22, 2007 (Zenit.org).-

Benedict XVI says that choral singing is an authentic education in life and peace, and an exercise in the "hearing of the heart."

The Pope said this Friday following a concert in his honor performed by Alpine choirs at the Castle of Mirabello, near where he is vacationing until July 27.

"Training in singing, in singing in choir, is not only an exercise of the external hearing and voice; it is also an education of interior hearing, the hearing of the heart, an exercise and a education in life and peace," the Holy Father said in his improvised remarks.

"Singing together in choir and with other choirs together, demands attention to the other, attention to the composer, attention to the conductor, attention to this totality that we call music and culture. And," he added, "in this way singing in choir is a training in life, a training in peace, a walking together."

Seven different choirs from Cadore participated in the concert, offered by Bishop Giuseppe Andrich of Belluno-Feltre.

Before the beginning of the concert, Bishop Andrich spoke of the dramatic stage of the First World War in which the Dolomites were also a theatre.

The Pope too spoke of those dramatic moments "when this mountain was a barrier, a terrible and bloody theatre of war."

"Let us thank the Lord because there is peace now in our Europe and let us do everything to make peace grow in us and in the world," he urged. "I am certain that precisely this beautiful music is a commitment to peace and a help to live in peace."

3 Choirs concert in Huddersfield TH

In May, the BYC Girls performed at a 3 choirs concert in the magnificent setting of Huddersfield Town Hall.

Compared by John Pryce Jones, the concert featured the prize winning Oldham Youth Choir under the baton of their esteemed director, Dr. Eileen Bentley. The largest single choir was the Yorkshire Youth Choir who hosted the concert.

The choirs each performed 20 minutes alone, before combining in items by John Rutter, Barry Russell and Sir Charles Hubert Parry's coronation anthem 'I was Glad' in which the choirs were joined on the organ by Benjamin Saunders.

Below are photo's from the occasion:

Turbulent history..

Well, the Summer vacation is a go slow time for news of what's happening musically in the Diocese of Leeds. That will all change come September with some big events coming up, including 2 programs for BBC Songs of Praise. More about that soon!

In the meanwhile, here is a link to a history of the music at Leeds Cathedral, which as you can see, was rather turbulent at times. Thankfully Bishop Konstant's foresight in appointing a full time Director of Music for the Cathedral laid the foundations for what has today become the largest Catholic singing program in the UK.

Enjoy!