Psallite Domino

Migration

2008-09-12T12:26:00.004Z

The Diocese of Leeds music department now has a new website!

Please do go and visit: www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk

This blog will no longer continue to be updated as all news stories will now be posted in the news section of the new website.

When All Saints went marching in

2008-07-16T13:55:00.003Z

The All Saints Catholic College Choir, Huddersfield, formed less than one year ago, has just returned from a major international choral competition with a medal! All Saints Catholic College Choir were awarded a bronze medal in the Youth Choir category of the World Choir Games held in Gratz, Austria.

Inspired by the BBC documentary ‘The Choir’, All Saints Catholic College, in conjunction with the OPAL foundation and the Diocese of Leeds, in September 2007, formed a choir ‘from scratch.’ In April 2008, All Saints Choir took first prize in the OPAL ‘Magic of Music’ competition in the Royal Albert Hall in London – their prize being an all expenses paid trip to Austria this Summer to compete in the World Choir Games.

All Saints Catholic College Choir, numbering 36 male and female singers, competed in the Youth Choir category against choirs from Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.
The choir sang four pieces: Shto mi e milo – traditional Macedonian, Flying Free – Don Besig, Anima Christi – Russian, Benedictus and Hosanna – Emily Crocker. The choir was conducted by Christopher McElroy (Assistant Director of Music, Diocese of Leeds) and accompanied on the piano by Dr Christopher Johns (Choral Director, Diocese of Leeds.) School music teacher, Catherine Lunn played the flute.

With over 400 choirs from 91 countries, the World choir games is the biggest international choral competition in the world. The All Saints Choir competed against choirs who had worked together for many years and who were a great deal older. Mary Nixon, Headteacher said, “The whole college community is bursting with pride at this success. We took the view that ‘participation was the greatest honour’, – but to triumph so spectacularly on the world stage is a moment these students and our college will savour for a very long time. We have already taken bookings for the Autumn!”

In addition to singing themselves, All Saints choir had many opportunities to explore singing styles and repertoires of other cultures, as well as interact with singers from across the globe!

Choir Director Chris McElroy said: ‘The choir have performed marvellously: Over the last year they have worked hard together as a team, inspiring each other to further develop their choral singing skills. The bronze medal which they have been awarded is richly deserved!’

BYC @ Llangollen Eistedffod

2008-07-16T12:00:00.001Z

The Bradford Girls’ Choir have just returned from Wales, where they have finished in the top 10 in an international Choir competition! Click here to watch the choir!

The choir took part in the Senior Children Choir’s Class of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, home of the famous ‘Choir of the World’ Competition.

They competed against choirs from Australia, Russia, USA, Ukraine, South Africa, Wales and England. This is the choirs ever performance in an international festival: To be chosen to compete in the finals, 100’s of choirs from around the world send in CD’s, from which 14 choirs are chosen to compete on the prestigious Royal Pavilion Stage in Llangollen.

Competing against some of the worlds finest choirs, the Bradford Girls’ Choir came a commendable 8th place (out of 14) which for their first international competition was a great achievement. The adjudicators praised the choirs tuning, diction and presentation noting that with further experience in such events, the choir would continue to improve.

The Bradford Girls’ Choir is a choir run by the Diocese of Leeds, and is directed by Christopher McElroy (Assistant Director of Music, Diocese of Leeds.) There are 50 girls (aged 10-17) in the choir drawn from St Josephs Catholic College, Yorkshire Martyrs, Holy Family Keighley and catholic primary schools in Bradford and Keighley. The Bradford Youth Choir (of which they are part) is the largest Catholic Youth Singing Program in the country, and attracts attention nationwide: Christopher McElroy was recently interviewed by Aled Jones on BBC R3 about the program.

The choir have just returned from a weeks tour to France, where they performed concerts in Paris and Lourdes (In the Rosary Basilica, to an audience of over 1000 people!)

Sing Up Concert in Leeds Cathedral

2008-06-05T07:11:00.002Z

On Tuesday 17th June over 200 children from across the Diocese will gather together in Leeds Cathedral to sing up! Choirs from schools in Huddersfield, Bately, Birstall and Dewsbury will sing songs from different cultures and traditions, before joining together to sing the story of Jonah and the Whale.

The primary schools will be joined by the Choir of All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield, just one week before they set sail for Austria where they will be competing in the Choir Olympics against choirs from over 100 countries from across the world! The concert begins at 7pm, and admission is free with a retiring collection. All Welcome!

The next generation

2008-05-23T15:04:00.002Z

Here at the Diocese of Leeds, not only do we teach children to sing, we're also training up the next generation of choir trainers. Peter Thompson, Head Chorister at Leeds Cathedral and Year 10 pupil at St John Fisher School in Harrogate, chose to do his work experience with us and got a taste of what life is like as a member of staff in the music department. As well as receiving his first organ lesson from Diocesan Director of Music Ben Saunders, Peter joined Choral Director Christopher Johns in three primary schools and actually took part of the rehearsal in two of them! In the picture on the right, you can see him teaching the choir of St Cuthbert and the First Martyrs' Primary School in Heaton the three-part round 'Any time you need a Calypso'.

Who knows, perhaps we'll see Peter as a permanent member of the music department staff in ten years' time!

Wharfedale Festival Sucesses

2008-05-19T07:56:00.005Z

It has been a busy week for BYC at the Wharfedale Festival!

For the first time, the Bradford Boys' Choir competed in the Wharfedale Festival of Performing Arts. As choir in residence at St Josephs Church in Bradford, the choir were eligible to compete in the Church Choirs class of the Festival.

Conducted by Dr Christopher Johns, and accompanied on the organ by Cathedral organ scholar Daniel Rathbone, the choir sang 'All things bright and beautiful' by John Rutter. Awarding the choir first place, the adjudicator praised the choirs diction and sense of ensemble, whilst also giving pointers for the future. The choir returned home with the 'Duncan Challenge Shield' pictured below.

The Craiglands School Choir day saw no fewer than 12 BYC school choirs compete! A busy day for singers, accompanists, conductors and adjudicator alike! In the secondary school platform, St Josephs Catholic College retained the 'Elizabeth Ingle Trophy,' for winning the Church Music School Choirs class, beating Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College into a close second place. Of St Josephs College, the adjudicator praised the choir for 'wearing the music of their faces!'

In the very competitive primary school classes, there were some excellent performances, with St Walburgas and St Francis clinching 2nd and 3rd places respectively in the 11 and under class.

BYC success was not just limited to our choirs: Elizabeth Cockshott and Hayley Nolan, both long standing members of the BYC Girls choir enjoyed success in solo classes. Elizabeth won first prize in the Junior organ solo class (winning a £15 gift token!) whilst Hayley achieved a creditable 3rd place in the Vocal solo 17 and under, singing the Handel song 'Where'er you walk.'

Congratulations to all!

Click here for an updated BYC roll of honour

New organ in Ilkley

2008-05-14T07:47:00.000Z

The pipe organ has long played an important part in Christian worship: indeed The Liturgical Constitution of the Second Vatican Council Sacrosanctum Concillium, had this to say:

In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things. (# 120)

It is therefore a cause of great joy when a church in the Diocese is able to install a new organ.

The church of the Sacred Heart Ilkley took delivery of a new organ last week. The instrument is made my Schumaker of Germany and has mechanical key and stop action. It was installed by Peter Collins with consultant John Rowntree (Director of Music at Doui Abbey.)

Catholic Girls' Choir Festival in Leeds Cathedral

2008-05-05T11:50:00.002Z

Around 100 girls performed in the beautiful setting of Leeds Cathedral on Sunday 4th May. The occasion was the first ever ‘Catholic Girls’ Choir festival Concert.’ Joining choirs from the Diocese of Leeds was special guest choir: The Schola Puellarum of Ampleforth Abbey. The choir’s began and ended the concert by singing as a 100 strong choir. Particularly well received by the audience was a beautiful rendition of ‘Panis Angelicus’ by Cesar Frank which brought the concert to a close.

In addition to these joint items each choir presented a selection of their own repertoire. First up was the Bradford Girls’ Choir, who have a busy Summer ahead of them with a tour to France, and an appearance as finalists in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod! They sang music from France, America, Africa and the UK ranging from 16th century polyphony through to the well know African chant ‘Freedom is coming!’

Next to perform was the Schola Puellarum of Ampleforth Abbey, directed by Kate Morgan. Founded in 2004 when Ampleforth College went co-educational, the girls’ choir was formed with the aim of giving girls an opportunity to contribute to the thriving choral tradition of the school and the liturgical life of the Abbey Church. The schola performed movements from Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater’ with some outstanding solo contributions from members of the choir.

Finally, the host choir, Leeds Cathedral girls’ choir performed. The Cathedral girls’ choir is the longest established choir of its type in an English Catholic Cathedral and acknowledged as ranking amongst the finest of cathedral girls' choirs, they have broadcast nationally many times on BBC Radio to considerable critical acclaim. Their wide ranging program included works from the Baroque period (Vivaldi, Pergolesi and Couperin) alongside works from the 20th Century, including a setting of Panis Angelicus by Giles Swayne, commissioned by the Cathedral.

Both the Bradford Girls’ Choir and the Cathedral Girls’ Choir were directed by Christopher McElroy, Assistant Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds. Organ accompaniments for the concert were provided by William Dore (Assistant Director of Music and College Organist, Ampleforth) and Christopher Johns (Choral Director, Diocese of Leeds.)

The concert was introduced by Mgr Michael Mcquinn, Vicar General who said how proud he was of the flourishing music program here in the Diocese of Leeds, and how delighted he was to welcome singers from Ampleforth Abbey to perform at the concert. The Diocese of Leeds runs the largest Catholic youth singing program in the UK, with over 100 children taking part in singing activities each week.

The concert was well received by the packed Cathedral – one member of the audience commented “We really enjoyed the programme this afternoon, especially the opportunity to see three such talented and yet quite different choirs, each with their own distinct identity. Hope this will not be the last such festival!”

For more photo's, click here.

For all the Saints

2008-05-02T07:22:00.004Z

St Josephs Catholic College, Bradford, yesterday celebrated their Centenary with a special mass with the whole school for the feast of St Joseph.

The College Choir lead the singing at Mass which included a wide variety of music in both English and Latin, ranging from 12th Century plainsong through to offerings from the Taize community, based in France.

Two items were specially commissioned for this centenary celebration. Elizabeth Stratford, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Arundel Cathedral composed a setting of the Ave Maria for choir and congregation. Included in the verses is a prayer to St Joseph -

'O, St Joseph by your protection I place in you all my objects and desires

obtain for me from your divine son, all spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ.'

The liturgy concluded with the singing of 'For all the Saints' with a specially composed verse by Headteacher, Mr Pat McDermott relating to the feast of St Joseph, and thanks for his patronage of the College over it's one hundred year life!

Sing Up in the Cathedral!

2008-04-25T08:35:00.005Z

The joyful voices of over 60 children from diocesan schools flooded Leeds Cathedral on the evening of April 23rd in the first of a series of ‘Sing Up!’ concerts.

Children from Holy Rosary and St. Anne’s Primary, Leeds; St. Benedict’s Primary, Garforth and St. Ignatius’ Primary, Ossett entertained their audience with a variety of songs from different cultures and languages, including Italian, Zulu and Polynesian. They were joined by choristers from the Cathedral’s own Boys’ and Girls’ choirs, who complemented the schools’ music with that of Pergolesi, Franck, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous Pie Jesu. The children were also treated to hear the Cathedral Organ being played at full capacity by Christopher McElroy, the Assistant Director of Music at the Cathedral, who played J.S. Bach’s dazzling Toccata in D Minor.

The whole evening was topped and tailed by massed choir pieces, including Go Down Jonah from Jonah Man Jazz, the musical cantata by Michael Hurd. Every song was sung from memory; the effort, discipline and enthusiasm of every child was outstanding and made the evening into a very enjoyable event.

The concert was introduced by Mgr Michael Mcquinn, Vicar General, who welcomed the children and their families to the ‘mother church’ of the Diocese.

The concert, directed by Charlotte Kitson, (Choral Director for the Diocese of Leeds) forms part of the Cathedral’s commitment to the ‘Sing Up!’ programme, facilitated by the Government’s Department for Children, Schools and Families. The aim of the programme is to make singing central to children’s lives in school, in the home and in the wider community. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to learn things when you sing them?

Cathedral Choirs are becoming increasingly involved with promoting singing and instrumental playing in their locality and are at the forefront of the ‘Sing Up!’ campaign to boost singing in primary schools. The Diocese of Leeds operates the largest Catholic youth singing program in the UK, with over 1000 children taking part in singing each week!

The next ‘Sing Up!’ concert will take place on Tuesday 17th June in the Cathedral, and will feature six primary schools from the Kirklees area, joined by the choir of All Saints’ Catholic College, Huddersfield a few weeks before they travel to compete in the World Choir Olympics in Austria!

Photos: © Patrick Sice

Catholic Girls' Choir Festival

2008-04-20T19:34:00.003Z

Sunday 4th May sees an exciting concert at Leeds Cathedral.

Make a date in your diary now!

Oh when the Saints!

2008-04-18T17:21:00.004Z

All Saints Catholic College in Huddersfield, who created a choir from scratch eight months ago in a project inspired by TV documentary The Choir, has sung its way to a coveted place in the World Choir Games in Austria this summer.

All Saints is one of two schools selected from ten from across the country who performed in a dedicated showcase for The Opal Choir Project this week (16 April) at the Royal Albert Hall. The event, The Magic of Music, was the culmination of a challenging journey of hard work and training with Choir Director, Christopher McElroy, Assistant Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds. The concert was the highlight of an expenses-paid trip to London, which included a visit to the Natural History Museum and a trip on the London Eye.

In line with the aims of the Music Manifesto, The Opal Choir Project was created with the ambition of “helping bring music back into education”. At a time when Britain is facing a crisis of confidence in its teenagers, it has offered everyone involved an extraordinary opportunity to acquire a new set of skills and to perform in one of the most iconic concert halls in the world. Whilst offering the children from All Saints Catholic School a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the World Choir Games in Austria, the project will leave a lasting legacy of music in all ten schools.

The Magic of Music was hosted by Songs of Praise and ex Blue Peter presenter Diane-Louise Jordan and featured guest performances from the London Metropolitan University Choir and award-winning trio Tenors Un Limited. The evening featured a wide range of musical style and genres,- from classical through to traditional African, gospel and pop - and climaxed in a rousing finale of Nessun Dorma and You Raise Me Up with all the choirs.

An expert panel of judges included: singer and actress Sharon D Clarke (best known for her roles as Dr Lola Griffin in Holby City and Mama Morton in Chicago), Founder and Principal of The Voices Foundation Suzi Digby, and vocal coach and musical director Stuart Barr.

In the judging, Sharon D Clarke praised All Saints Catholic School Choir for:
“Clear, tuneful, beautiful harmonies” and “a wonderful blend with fabulous bases from the boys”.

Stuart Wall, Founder of The Opal Foundation, said:
“The Magic of Music was a real tribute to the courage and commitment of all the young people taking part, their choir masters and teachers. Our congratulations to All Saints Catholic School School for its tremendous performance. We will now be supporting the choir all the way through to The World Choir Games and wish them all the best for this next stage of the musical journey!”

UPDATED: click here for an article in the Huddersfield Examiner.

School Choir triumphs at the Royal Albert Hall

2008-04-17T08:19:00.004Z

BREAKING NEWS:

All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield last night took first prize in the OPAL 'Magic of Music' choir competition at the Royal Albert Hall in London!

They will travel to Austria in July to represent England in the choir Olympics, all expenses paid through the generosity of the OPAL choir foundation.

Well done All Saints!!!

Stay tuned for a full report shortly!

African Sanctus

2008-04-13T19:45:00.004Z

In addition to their role as 'Choir in residence' at St Josephs Church in Bradford, the Bradford Boys' Choir also regularly perform at concerts in West Yorkshire and beyond.

Last night saw the boys' take part in a concert in Bradford Cathedral. Performing alongside the Bradford Festival Choral Society the choirs performed 'African Sanctus' by David Fanshawe.

On the composers website, we read about the striking work:

African Sanctus is a universal work whose impact is immediate, whose message is simple, the driving force is one of Praise and a firm believe in One Music - One God. It informs both listener and performer about African music and its relationship to Western polyphony and captures the eternal and spiritual soul of music. It is an event, a celebration of power and energy, both visual, aural and multi-cultural, now performed live all over the world. For David Fanshawe there are no musical barriers.

African Sanctus is an unorthodox setting of the Latin Mass harmonised with traditional African music recorded by the composer on his now legendary journeys up the River Nile (1969-73). The taped music from Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya is heard in counterpoint with the live chorus, soprano soloist and instrumental ensemble. The work is composed in 13 movements and reflects geographically the composer’s cross-shaped pilgrimage, from the Mediterranean to Lake Victoria, whereby Kyrie represents Cairo and Sanctus Northern Uganda.

The Bradford Boys' Choir with Neville Creed, Conductor and Maureen Brathwaite, Soprano.

Ready to Raise the Roof

2008-04-13T19:11:00.003Z

Only three days till All Saints Catholic College Choir, Huddersfield and St Bedes Male Voice Choir, Bradford perform in the Royal Albert Hall in London!

The choirs performed last week in a concert at Bradford University, their final performance before traveling down to the nations most hallowed concert hall on Wednesday.

On Wednesday they will compete in the OPAL 'Magic of Music' concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Formed from scratch only one year ago, both school choirs are raring to go and hope to do West Yorkshire and the Diocese of Leeds proud!

Click here to read a report in the Bradford T&A Ready to raise the roof !

Also - West Yorks school singers aim for World Choir Games

Sacred music program on BBC Four

2008-03-28T16:30:00.002Z

BBC TV is running an excellent new series called 'Sacred Music' on BBC Four. It's not often that we see whole TV programs devoted to such topics, so this is definately worth a watch!

The program airs on Friday nights, 8pm on BBC Four.

Last week's program focussed on the 'Gothic revolution' - charting the story of the early development of Christian church music from the haunting simplicity of plain song to the full glory of gothic polyphony.

Tonight's program is intruigingly entitled 'Palestrina and the Popes' - sounds very relevant to Catholic Music!

If you miss the program, catch it agin on BBC IPlayer.

Songs of Praise from Leeds

2008-03-28T16:05:00.004Z

This Sunday sees the second 'Songs of Praise' program to be broadcast this year on BBC 1 TV from Leeds Cathedral.

The theme of the program is Confession, and features music from the Cathedral Boys, Girls and Adult Choirs as well as a large congregation drawn from across West Yorkshire. Hymns include favorite such as 'Praise my Soul the King of Heaven' and 'Just as I am, without one plea.'

The Cathedral Boys' and Adult choir sing a beautiful setting of Psalm 51 by Spanish composer Pedro de Christo: 'Miserere Mei Domine'

BBC 1 TV - Sunday 30th March 2008, 5-5.35pm.

Don't miss it!

Lunchtime Recital at Leeds Cathedral

2008-03-05T12:59:00.003Z

Tom Leech
Ripon Cathedral
Thursday 6 March 2008 1.10pm

A selection of movements from Klavierübung III J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Praeludium pro Organo pleno BWV 552, i

Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit alio modo, manualiter, BWV 672
Christe, aller Welt Trost BWV 673
Kyrie, Gott heiliger Geist BWV 674

Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr a 3, Canto fermo in Alto, BWV 675
Fughetta super Allein Gott manualiter, BWV 677

Vater unser im Himmelreich a 2 Clav. et Pedal e Canto fermo in Canone, BWV 682

Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam a 2 Clav. e Canto fermo in Pedale, BWV 684

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir a 6 BWV 686

Duetto II BWV 803

Fuga a 5 con pedale pro Organo pleno BWV 552, ii

Thomas Leech became Assistant Director of Music at Ripon Cathedral in September 2004 following three years as Organ Scholar at Norwich Cathedral. He graduated from Downing College, Cambridge, in July 2001, after spending three years there as Organ Scholar. Whilst reading for a music degree at the university he conducted Downing College Chapel Choir and Darwin College Choir, also conducting a number of major orchestral works. With Downing College Chapel Choir he toured to Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Poland and the U.S.A. and with Norwich Cathedral Choirs to Italy, Norway and Belgium. He has also given concerts in France and Portugal. In addition to playing for the daily choral services at Ripon Cathedral he has performed as a soloist in numerous English venues, his playing has been broadcast on BBC1, Radio 3 and Classic FM and recorded on acclaimed discs with Norwich Cathedral Girls’ Choir on Lammas Records and Ripon Cathedral Choirs on Regent Records and York Ambisonic. Festival engagements have included the Cambridge Summer Music Festival and the Ripon International Festival (with trumpeter Alison Balsom) and last October he was Festival Organist for the Yorkshire Three Choirs’ Festival. Concerts in 2008 include solo recitals in Coventry and St. David’s Cathedrals, The Temple Church and Westminster Abbey. He studied organ with David Sanger and in November 2002 studied in Germany with Johannes Geffert and at Klais Orgelbau with the inaugural Klais Organ Scholarship from the Eric Thompson Trust. He has participated in masterclasses and academies with many of today’s leading organists. Thomas is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, winning the Durrant and Turpin prizes in the Fellowship examinations. He became Musical Director of Bradford Festival Choral Society in January of this year, and is honoured to be President-Elect of Leeds Organists’ Association.

BYC Choirs to perform at Bradford University

2008-02-29T17:22:00.000Z

This tem sees two of our BYC choirs plus the Choir of All Saints, Huddersfield perform as part of the University of Bradford Spring/ Summer 08 concert series.

On Saturday 8th March, the Bradford Girls' Choir will join the University Singers and Orchestra in a performance of John Rutter's 'Requiem' alongside other English music.

Wednesday 9th April sees a concert in the glass atrium that dominates the universities skyline entitled 'Young Voices' which will feature St. Bedes MVC and the choir of All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield. Exactly one week later, both choirs will feature in a singing competition in the Royal Albert Hall in London!

Click here for further details about both these concerts, as well as many other musical and artistic events that will be taking place at the university this term.

BYC on BBC R4

2008-02-28T16:21:00.004Z

The Bradford Youth Choir today broadcast the Daily Service live on BBC R4 LW. The BBC's longest running program, the Daily Service is transmitted live each day from Emmanuel Church in Didsbury. The service is usually led by a professional choir, but occasionally choirs are invited to lead the music, so it was a great privilege for 50 youngsters from Bradford to be able to use their musical talents to an listenership of around 200,000 people.

The Bradford Youth Choir is part of the Diocese of Leeds singing program: the largest catholic singing program in the UK. Drawn from Catholic schools across Bradford and Keighley, the young singers sing both in and out of school under the direction of Diocese of Leeds musicians Christopher Johns, Charlotte Kitson and Christopher McElroy.

The broadcast can be listened to for the next seven days on the BBC's 'listen back' feature. Click here to listen (Thursday 28th February, Persistent Prayer)

Diocese of Leeds choirs hit European City of Culture!

2008-02-27T15:41:00.003Z

Liverpool is the European City of Culture 2008 - as a result, many special events are taking place around the city. This Wednesday, two schools choirs from the Diocese of Leeds accepted an invitation to perform at Liverpool Hope University.

The Concert took place on the Everton Campus, in the great hall at Cornerstone. The concert entitled 'OPAL voices' involved St. Bedes Male Voice Choir, Bradford and All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield alongside St. Francis of Assisi Academy in Liverpool. The choirs were welcomed to Liverpool Hope University by Philip Duffy, Director of Performance and Exhibitions (and for many years Master of the Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, building up the fine choral tradition that exists there today.)

Both All Saints and St. Bedes choirs only began life in September of this year, working in partnership with the Diocese of Leeds music department who direct the choir in each school. In April both choirs will compete against seven others choirs from around the country in a competition in the Royal Albert Hall in London to win a place in the coveted Choir Olympics which take place this Summer in Austria.

Each choir sang a selection of their repertoire, beginning and ending the concert with all the choirs singing on stage together. The Choir of St Francis of Assisi was directed by Phillip Arkwright, Sub Organist at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. The choirs of St. Bedes and All Saints were Directed by Christopher McElroy, Assistant Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds.

After the concert the children from All Saints received an unexpected treat when they went to see the Metropolitan Cathedral. They entered the cathedral to find that the final rehearsal of a new work by John Tavener was being rehearsed: his Requiem, composed for the 2008 City of Culture celebrations. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Vasily Petrenko left the children spellbound for 20 minutes before they boarded their coach back to West Yorkshire!

HCPT Charity Concert

2008-02-25T10:15:00.007Z

Each year HCPT organise a pilgrimage to Lourdes, the Marian shrine in the South of France. As part of the fund raising for the local HCPT a charity concert was staged at St. Winefrides Catholic Church in Wibsey, Bradford featuring local choirs and soloists.

Featured soloist was baritone Mr Dominic Rose, a member of Leeds Cathedral Adult Choir and a local music teacher. Dominic enthused the audience with a wide variety of music ranging from 'Panis Angelicus' through to 'The Last Chord' by Arthur Sullivan.

The concert opened with St. Bedes Male Voice Choir under the direction of Chris McElroy. In just 6 weeks time the choir will compete in the OPAL Choir competition in the Royal Albert Hall in London! This was the first of 4 'warm-up' performances for the big day in April, and the choir did a great job singing music from America, England, Italy and Spain. Watch out for more info on this choir soon!

BYC works with 18 catholic schools in the Bradford area, and we were fortunate that two of our primary school choirs were able to perform at this concert, braving the sub zero temperatures outdoors! Hosts St Winefrides delighted the audience with a performance of 'All things bright and beautiful.' This was followed by St. Anthony's, Clayton who sang the Lenten song 'Praise to you, O Christ our Savior.' Both choirs, trained by Christopher Johns (Choral Director for the Diocese of Leeds) filled the church with their singing!

The evening concluded with performances from the Bradford Boys' Choir, the elite choir for Boys singing in Bradford. The choir sang music by Malcolm Archer, Vaughan Williams and Moses Hogan.

After the concert choirs and audience alike retired to the church hall for refreshments and to learn more about the work of HCPT.

Redefining Outreach

2008-02-22T09:04:00.003Z

Click here to read an article about the 'outreach' singing program here in the Diocese of Leeds. The article is taken from Church Music Quarterly, the magazine of the Royal School of Church Music.

With a readership of 80,000 worldwide, CMQ is an influential periodical illustrating the happenings of the church music world. Each issue offers a wide range of articles and interviews by distinguished musicians, theologians and scholars, providing expert advice, information and inspiration for readers.

Redefining Outreach, written by Benjamin Saunders, Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds illustrates how the Diocese of Leeds has broken new ground in its Diocesan singing program. Unlike the traditional Anglican Cathedral model, here in the Diocese of Leeds we consider all of our singing schools to be 'Choir schools' in their own right - each receiving training from high calibre cathedral musicians.

This article was published in ‘Church Music Quarterly’ June 2007 and is reproduced with permission of The Royal School of Church Music, with thanks. It may not be further reproduced without the permission of the RSCM.

One year and running!

2008-02-17T11:02:00.000Z

Happy birthday dear blog!!

It is now one year since we have begun chronicling happenings in the Diocese of Leeds Music Department - with singing programs in Leeds, Bradford, Keighley and Huddersfield there's plenty going on!

Click here for the very first post once year ago - I hope you enjoy reading these posts, and you find them informative!

Guardian letters page

2008-02-07T11:44:00.000Z

The Guardian today (7th February 2008) carries a letter citing the positive example of the Diocese of Leeds singing outreach program in Bradford. It comes in the wake of recent media coverage about the idea of choir school 'academies' proposed by the government.

Here is an excerpt from the letter:

'If churches are really interested in giving large numbers of children the benefit of cathedral musical expertise, they should look at the Bradford Choral Project, based at St Anne's RC Cathedral in Leeds, which supports four full-time musicians, probably more than any other UK cathedral.

They not only service the liturgical needs of the cathedral, but provide fully trained choral directors to go out into over 20 church schools in Bradford to run non-selective school choirs. This gives every child in those schools an opportunity to access cathedral-standard musical and choral expertise.'

To read the full letter, click here.

Organ Concert - Simon Lindley

2008-02-05T11:14:00.002Z

LEEDS CATHEDRAL LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES

Spring and Lent
Thursday 21 February 1.10pm
Leeds University Union Music Society
Chamber Choir

Totus Tuus Henryk Gorecki
Crucifixus Antonio Lotti
Deep River Arr. Norman Luboff
Lamentation Edward C. Bairstow
The Silver Swan Orlando Gibbons
Now is the Month of Maying Thomas Morley
O Lord the Maker Thomas Morley

The Chamber Choir is part of the larger parent society, LUUMS, in which there are two choral groups. This is the smaller, auditioned ensemble and the choir perform challenging and exciting repertoire, both sacred and secular, on a regular basis around the city. The conductor Matthew Oglesby draws experience from Blackburn and Leeds Cathedrals: the first as a chorister and the latter as Choral and Conducting Scholar. All members of the choir are students at the university and come from a wide range of academic backgrounds.

Bach in Leeds

2008-02-04T16:29:00.000Z

At 3pm on Sunday, 17th February, Leeds Cathedral Choir will perform J.S.Bach's St John Passion in Leeds Cathedral under the direction of Dr Christopher Johns, accompanied by members of the LUUMS (Leeds UniversityUnion Musical Society) Orchestra. Admission is free of charge, with a retiring collection being taken at the end.

J.S. Bach's St John Passion has moved the hearts of the faithful eversince its first performance in 1724. As will be familiar from readings ofthePassion Story in the liturgies of Holy Week, the parts of the Evangelist, Our Lord, Pilate and other individuals are sung by soloists. The chorus takes on the role of the crowd, calling for the release of the murderer Barrabas, mocking our Saviour as the crown of thorns is placed on His headand ultimately screaming for His barbaric execution.

Unlike conventional readings of the Passion Story, however, Bach's St JohnPassion includes settings of texts not taken from the Holy Scriptures which meditate on and try to make sense of what is happening. As Christ carries His Cross to the hill where He is to die, a bass soloist entreats us to flee our torments and go also to Golgotha, where, by faith, we may find release; and as our Lord breathes his last, a solo soprano "pours out her heart in floods of tears" at the death of "my Jesus".

The response of the faithful to both the Passion Story and the reflective arias makes up the third part of the compostion and takes the form of chorales (German hymns) sung to tunes which, for the most part, will also be familiar to an English audience. And so it is that the piece closes with a hymn contemplating our own mortality and the wonder of the gift of eternal life.

"O Lord, let your dear angels carry my soul to Abraham's bosom at the end ofmy days; Let my body sleep in peace, free from pain and torment, until the day of judgement.Then wake me from death, so that my eyes may see Thee in great joy, Thou Son of God, My Saviour on the throne of grace!Lord Jesus Christ, hear my cry. I will praise you for all eternity!"

For further information, please contact the Music Office on 0113 244 8634 Monday to Thursday between 10.30am and 3.30pm during term time.

Latin Mass

2008-02-03T18:01:00.001Z

Each first Sunday of the Month, the 11am Solemn Mass at the Cathedral is celebrated in Latin.

Many people do not realise that the 'normal' language for Roman Catholic worship is in fact Latin - the second Vatican Council didn't decree that in future Mass was to be said in the vernacular, rather it opened up the opportunity for the use of the vernacular, particularly in the administration of the sacraments. The unfortunate wholesale abandonment of the use of Latin in worship also has negative consequences for the 'treasury of sacred music' which is largely in Latin.

We are fortunate in Leeds Cathedral to have the best of both worlds, with Mass being offered in both Latin and English, and with the choir singing repertoire from the great repertoire of sacred music from Gregorian chant to polyphony.

Today's Latin Mass was extra special as the celebrant was out Bishop, who this weekend was carrying out his visitation of our Cathedral. In his closing remarks he thanked the clergy, choir and congregation for continuing and keeping alive the Latin tradition of our church.

Music was led by the Cathedral Boys' and Adult choir - the mass setting at the monthly Latin mass setting is Gregorian chant, alongside motets by Frank and Viadana.

The Light of Christ

2008-02-02T08:04:00.000Z

As part of evangelisation here in the Diocese of Leeds, we are currently engaged in 'Come and See' - a process for renewal. The third year of the program is entitled 'Being the local church: Celebrating being Catholic.'

This week saw children from catholic schools from across the diocese gather for a special service entitled 'The Light of Christ' which included the particuarly 'Catholic' form of devotion - Benediction and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Liturgy was led by the Bishop, who explained to the packed Cathedral about the different elements of his Coat of Arms, and what it says about his beliefs and ancestry.

Music for the Mass was directed by Christopher Johns, choral director for the Diocese of Leeds alongside the other choral director, Charlotte Kitson who served as cantor. The 70 strong choir comprised of children from 3 BYC primary schools - St. Clares, Fagley, St. Winefides and St Williams. Situated in the fine ock carved choir stalls they led the congregation in singing the hymns, acclamations and responses whilst also adding to the beauty and solemnity of the liturgy with the singing of Cesar Frank's 'Panis Angelicus during Exposition.

Pictures from the liturgy can be found on the Catholic Post website.

The Choir: Boys don't sing (?)

2008-02-01T22:11:00.000Z

On BBC 2 tonight, choirmaster Gareth Malone returned with a follow up series to 'The Choir.' Basing himself at a boy's school in Leicester, Gareth goes about building a boy's choir from scratch: 'The Choir: Boys Don't Sing'

Readers may be interested to know that here in the Diocese of Leeds we have two similar stories unfolding as we speak!

St Bedes Catholic School in Bradford (an all boys secondary school) began a boy's choir in September with the aim of competing in a choir competition in the Royal Albert Hall in April of this year. Now 5 months into their preparations, the St Bedes Male Voice Choir is starting to take shape. The Boys will be performing at concerts at Liverpool Hope University and Bradford University in the run up to their big performance in London on April 16th. The boys work very hard in rehearsal each week and are singing a wide range of music from renaissance polyphony to upbeat Spanish dance music!

Read about St Bedes MVC here - also you can read an article in the local paper, and even hear the boys singing and watch an interview with the headteacher.

All Saints Catholic College in Huddersfield (Mixed Secondary School) will also be performing in the competition at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April. The mixed voice choir, age ranged 11-16 have been working on songs in English, Latin and Macedonian - who said it was all just about music: they learn about different cultures and languages as well!

Read about All Saints here, plus click here for an article in the Huddersfield Examiner.

Both St. Bedes and All Saints recently appeared on the BBC themselves: BBC Songs of Praise! The choir are run by staff from the Diocese of Leeds music department as part of the school singing program: the largest such catholic program in the UK!

Choir & Organ

2008-02-01T08:09:00.000Z

The January/ February edition of Choir & Organ features an article on music in the Diocese of Leeds as part of their 'Cantus in Choro' series. Written by John Rowntree, organist of Douai Abbey the article is entitled 'Laying Solid Foundations.'

This article gives a really good overall flavor of what is happening musically here in the Diocese of Leeds, with over a 1000 children singing schools and churches throughout the Diocese each week.!

Choir & Organ have kindly given permission for the article to be posted for you to read online.

Click here to view.

Sing choirs of schoolkids

2008-01-28T21:46:00.000Z

Click here to read an article by Abigail Frymann entitled 'Sing choirs of schoolkids' which appeared in The Tablet.

The article begins:

The Diocese of Leeds is developing a marvelous program in which the cathedral's music staff are reaching out to schools to give them access to top-level tuition - and the results are there for all to hear...

Click here to continue reading

(By kind permission of The Tablet - http://www.thetablet.co.uk/ )

BYC school hits the airwaves

2008-01-25T08:16:00.000Z

BYC singing school Our Lady of Victories in Keighley has gone were no other BYC school has gone before! They have created their very own radio station - Radio OLV!

Each Friday afternoon the whole school sits listening intently to the weeks program, presented and produced by the pupils themselves!

Funded jointly by the school, and the Bradford Creative Partnerships programme, the studio – dubbed ‘RadiOLV’ – has been the brainchild of head John Devlin and the local community radio station, BCB 96.7 FM.

In addition to broadcasting in school, the weekly programme is available as a podcast - why not give it a try. Watch out for a programme in the near future which will feature tracks from BYC's first CD 'Jubilate Deo.'

Doctor's Appointment

2008-01-24T09:03:00.001Z

From this term onwards, the Bradford Boys' Choir will have a doctor's appointment at St Bede's School from 4-5pm every Thursday. Not because they're ill, but because their director, Christopher Johns, has been awarded a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Durham University, where he studied from 2003 - 2006.

His dissertation was about Finnish, Arabic and Modern Irish, but German is the foreign language he speaks best, as he was Assistant Choirmaster at Osnabrueck Cathedral before starting at Durham. Here he is pictured outside Durham Cathedral just after receiving his degree from Chancellor Bill Bryson.

Congratulations, Dr Johns!

Lunchtime Concerts Series

2008-01-23T15:15:00.000Z

The Lunchtime concert series returns for the Spring Term 2008 with a varied music programme. Details are as follows:-

Benjamin Saunders (Leeds Cathedral)
Thursday 31 January 1.10pm
Music by Langlais, Dupré & Hollins

Simon Lindley (Leeds Parish Church)
Thursday 7 February 1.10pm
Organ music by Bach, Vierne & Jackson

“Music for Spring & Lent”
Thursday 21 February 1.10pm
Leeds University Chamber Choir
Music by Allegri, Praetorius & Ockingham

Martin Couzin (Cello) & Andrew Bedford (Piano)
Thursday 28 February 1.10pm
Music by Beethoven & Martinu

Tom Leech (Ripon Cathedral)
Thursday 6 March 1.10pm
Excerpts from Bach’s Klavierübung III

“Rhapsody on a Ground”
Stephen Power (Southwell Minster)
Thursday 13 March 1.10pm
Organ Music by Howells, Alcock & Statham

Other Cathedral concerts also include:-

St John Passion by J.S.Bach
Sunday 17 February 3.00pm
Leeds Cathedral Choir with members of LUUMS

"Miserere mei"
Tuesday 18 March 8.00pm
Music for Holy Week by Allegri, Tallis and De Cristo

Free admission/retiring collection for all the above concerts and recitals

BYC on BCB

2008-01-22T14:20:00.000Z

BYC Director Chris McElroy and members of the choirs were today the special guests on BCB radio's 'Our Top Ten' program. Award winning station Bradford Community Radio each week invites people in the local area who make positive contributions to the local community. As the largest youth singing program around, BYC certainly fits the bill with over 1000 children singing each week under the leadership team.

BCB presenter David Clapham played songs from the BYC recently released debut CD 'Jubilate Deo' and interviewed James Baxter (Boys' Choir) Hayley Nolan (Girls Choir) and Gavin Malewski (Changing Voices.) Each choir member brought along a CD of music of their choice which ranged from Elvis, through to 80's pop and music from the Harry Potter films!

If you missed the show, you can catch it again on

Wednesday 22nd January - 9am
and
Saturday 26th January - 12 midday

If you are in the Bradford area, you can listen at 106.6FM

Alternatively, listeners can tune in from anywhere via the Internet site which can be accessed by going to the BCB homepage, and clicking 'listen live'!

Choral Vespers at LPC

2008-01-21T08:53:00.000Z

To mark the the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity a special service of Vespers was held yesterday at Leeds Parish Church.

Sung by the combined boys' choirs of Leeds Parish Church and Leeds Cathedral, the service featured music by Mozart and Byrd in a addition to traditional Epiphany tide hymns.

The music was directed by Dr Simon Lindley, Organist and Master of the Music at Leeds Parish Church. Simon is also Organist to the City of Leeds, and runs a very popular Monday lunchtime organ recital series at the Town Hall as part of the Leeds International Concert Season which attracts many famous organists.

Boys' can't sing? They can in Bradford!

2008-01-12T08:33:00.000Z

The newly formed St. Bedes Male Voice Choir, one of the Bradford Youth Choir secondary schools, will sing at the Royal Albert Hall in April. The Royal Albert Hall in London is one of the most famous concert venues in the world, and is where the famous proms (including the 'last night') take place each year.

Click here to read all about the choir in today's T&A.

Click here to watch a video report featuring the boys singing and Mr Paul Martin, the headteacher being interviewed.

A great example of our talent!

2008-01-11T16:20:00.001Z

Today's T&A carries a letter from a reader praising the performance of the Bradford Youth Choir in last weeks broadcast of Songs of Praise - well done to all concerned!

SIR -
I switched on to Songs Of Praise on Sunday and enjoyed the singing from the Cathedral in Leeds.

My surprise was when Bradford's Youth Choir flashed on the screen.
What a super performance they gave. All smartly dressed, a perfect rendition, brilliant

Congratulations to each and every one of them, they were a credit to their choirmaster/mistress and to Bradford which seems to be overshadowed by Leeds.

Bernice Bailey, Flawith Drive, Fagley, Bradford

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/search/display.var.1958158.0.a_great_example_of_our_talent.php

Anticipation building!

2008-01-05T07:52:00.000Z

Tomorrow, Sunday 6th January, 400 singing youth from Bradford will broadcast live to the nation on BBC 1 TV.

The anticipation is building, so don't miss out!

To whet your appetite, why not have a look at:

Preview clip of 'We three kings'

Article in the Bradford T & A about the event

Video report

BBC Songs of Praise

2007-12-31T10:50:00.000Z

2008 gets off to a dramatic start for the Diocese of Leeds music department! Sunday January 6th Sees 'Songs of Praise' broadcast from Leeds Cathedral on BBC 1 TV.

The hymns were specially chosen to fit with the theme of priceless gifts. The Cathedral will be full with 450 young singers from Catholic Schools in Bradford, Keighley and Huddersfield - who said (young) Catholics can't sing!

Also featured in the broadcast are the Bradford Youth Choir - auditioned voices from the over 1000 children who sing each week as part of the Diocese of Leeds singing program in Bradford and Keighley. The Youth Choir sing 'I am his child' which accurately reflects two of the most valued priceless gifts: those of childhood and that of music and singing.

The congregational items were conducted by Charismatic musician Gordon Stewart who brought out the very best from the young singers!

The program will be broadcast on BBC 1 TV on Sunday January 6th 2008 at 4.45pm. Information about the program can be found here on the BBC SoP website.

If you are outside the UK it might be possible to watch the program on the BBC's new Iplayer .

Drop us a line and let us know if you enjoyed it!

2007 - the year in review!

2007-12-25T12:42:00.000Z

2006 ended on a high note with BYC School Yorkshire Martyrs being crowned Yorkshire Schools choir of the year!

2007 was a very busy year - our first whole year of daily sung services in the Cathedral in addition to out flourishing Diocesan music program.

FEBRUARY

Article published in Cathedral Music magazine about Diocese of Leeds music.

MARCH

Bradford Boys' Choir give a concert in Leeds Cathedral of movements from the Llibre Vermell.

Bradford Girls' Choir make their BBC Radio debut, broadcasting live on BBC R4.

BYC Schools take top places at Robertshaw festival.

Cathedral Girls Choir take part in Festival at Leeds Parish Church.

APRIL

Holy Week at the Cathedral with the choirs singing at all the principal services, and even finding time to sing at a concert in Selby!

Third Annual BYC Gala Concert, featuring for the first time the newly formed St. Bedes MVC.

Cathedral Boys' and Adults sing Mass on the feast of St. George in the presence of the Bishops of England & Wales.

Performance of Mozart Requiem in Cathedral given by Cathedral Boys' and Adults conducted by Christopher Johns.

MAY

BYC Girls' sing at Huddersfield Town Hall with the Oldham Youth Choir and Yorkshire Youth Choir.

BYC Schools carry of a host of prizes from the Wharfadale Festival. See also the updated role of honour.

JUNE

Bradford Boys' Choir take part in a performance of Orff's 'Carmina Burana' in Leeds Town Hall with the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Leeds Cathedral and Leeds Parish Church Boys' choirs accompanied by the Airedale Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Anderson.

SEPTEMBER

Diocese gives birth to another new choir!

BYC Boys' and Girls' give sellout concert at the historic Ilkley Parish Church.

OCTOBER

BYC Boys' choir become choir in residence at St. Josephs Church, Bradford. A historic re-birth of Catholic church music in Bradford!

NOVEMBER

Cathedral Girls' and BYC Girls sing Mass for Cathedral Directors of Music Conference in Cathedral.

400 children from BYC Schools record Epiphany program for BBC 1 Songs of Praise!

Cathedral Choirs record 2 further programs for BBC 1 Songs of Praise.

DECEMBER

Cathedral and BYC Choirs join together with LPC choirs for annual Leeds Town Hall Carol Concert.

Cathedral Adult Choir broadcast Choral Vespers for Gaudate Sunday live on BBC R3.

BYC Boys' and Girls perform in Bradford's premier Christmas concert in St. Georges Hall.

First BYC CD 'Jubilate Deo' is released!

NEW CD - Jubilate Deo!

2007-12-24T19:26:00.000Z

Hot off the press

- the first CD recording from the Bradford Youth Choirs!

More information to follow early in the new year!

Hark, the herald angels sing!

2007-12-24T07:08:00.000Z

The fourth Sunday of Advent traditionally sees the Christmas Carol service take place in Leeds Cathedral. A festive favorite, people flock to the Cathedral to hear the story of the birth of Christ through words and music. The service follows an adaptation of the 'Nine lessons and Carols' famously heard at Kings College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve each year, and was presided over by the Dean, Michael Cannon McCreadie.

The Cathedral boys', girls' and adult choirs sang, performing both exquisite choral music for the season and leading the congregation in the singing of much loved Christmas carols such as 'See amid the winters snow' 'Away in a manger' and 'Hark the herald angels sing!'

The ambiance of the Cathedral was one of joyful expectation, the service taking place by candlelight. The readings were proclaimed by various members of the choirs, with the Gospel from St John read by Mgr Michael McQuinn, the Vicar General.

The choral music ranged from plainsong 'Hodie Christus natus est' via 16th Century Catalan 'Riu, Riu Chiu' to several 20th Century English compositions and arrangements such as 'A Maiden most gentle' (by local composer, Andrew Carter) 'A Child is born in Bethlehem' (Philip Stopford) and 'Scots' Nativity' by Allan Bullard.

The service concluded with a stunning rendition of the Finale from Louis Vierne's First Organ Symphony, played by Christopher Johns, Choral Director for the Diocese of Leeds.

Christmas in Bradford!

2007-12-23T08:21:00.000Z

Christmas came a few days early to Bradford yesterday with the annual 'Family Christmas Concert' at St Georges Hall, Bradford's premier venue for music and the arts. Held in conjunction with Bradford's 'Christmas in the City' event, the concert was enthusiastically received by the large audience both young and old.

The concert was hosted by the Bradford Festival Choral Society, the cities oldest and most distinguished musical group. Christmas favorites were played by the 'Virtuosi GUS Band' much to the delight of the audience who were clapping and singing away!

The Bradford Boys' and Girls' choirs combined for this concert to appear as the Bradford Youth Choir. In the first half, they joined the BFCS to sing movements from the St. Nicholas Mass by Joseph Haydn. Conducted by Christopher McElroy (BYC director) over 130 singers (with an age range of 75 years between youngest and oldest!) raised the roof with the triumphant 'Amen!' at the conclusion of the Gloria.

The second half opened with the children in the audience coming up onto the stage to sing Christmas favorites 'when santa got stuck up the chimney' and 'jingle bells.' The Youth Choir then took centres stage to perform a Gloria by Stuart Thompson (former Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds) 'I am his child' by notable American composer/ arranger Moses Hogan. They finished with a rousing performance of 'Gaudate' complete with soloists and a full battery of percussion!

Choral Vespers on the BBC

2007-12-17T18:27:00.000Z

Choral Vespers on BBC Radio 3 yesterday came live from Leeds Cathedral. For the next seven days you can listen again by going here.

Organ Prelude: Prière (Langlais)
Introit: Qui sedes, Domine, super Cherubim (Rheinberger)
Office Hymn: Conditor alme siderum (Charlston)
Psalms: 110, vv1-5, 7; 111 (Saunders, Bevenot)
Reading: Philippians 4, vv4-7
Motet: Rorate caeli desuper (Byrd)
Homily: The Right Rev Arthur Roche
Magnificat primi toni (Colin Mawby)
Marian Antiphon: Alma redemptoris (Pedro de Cristo)
Organ Voluntary: Rorate caeli desuper (Naji Hakim)

Director of music: Benjamin Saunders
Assistant director of music: Christopher McElroy

Would you like help with your packing?

2007-12-01T22:58:00.000Z

These children don't just sing! Despite having a busy schedule in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the members of the Bradford Boys' and Girls' Choirs descended on Sainsbury's in Keighley today to pack bags for Saturday shoppers and raise money towards their forthcoming foreign trips.

In June 2008 the Girls' Choir will accompany the Diocese of Leeds' pilgrimage to Lourdes, singing in Paris on their way back, while the boys have been invited to perform alongside choirs from all over the world at the international choral festival 'Festivokal' in Germany in May 2009.

We're still counting the money generously donated by the shoppers, but it's looking like being around £1000!!!

THANK YOU, KEIGHLEY!!

Boys' Choir begin residence at Bradford Church

2007-10-06T07:18:00.000Z

Unfortunately, due to misunderstandings, many choirs in Catholic churches simply disappeared in the years after the Second Vatican Council. So, what did the Sacred Constitution on the Liturgy (SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM) actually say about choirs and the treasury of sacred music?

112. The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.

114. The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches; but bishops and other pastors of souls must be at pains to ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightly theirs.

No where in these excepts from does it call for choirs to be abandoned! What it does call for is a balance in the role played by the choir in worship, alongside the part played by the congregation.

In the Liturgy, many people have roles. Hence we think of the lector whose job is to read from the scriptures, the Deacon who proclaims the Gospel, the Altar Servers who assist in the Sanctuary, the Priest who presides over the celebration, the Congregation who sing and speak responses and prayers. All of these have tasks 'proper' to their role - it is indeed the same for the choir. They have the joint endeavour to both lead the congregation in singing, as well as to offer music for the glory of God in their name.

Here in the Diocese of Leeds, we take seriously the call of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to 'diligently promote' choirs and to preserve the 'treasury of sacred music.' Mass and Vespers are sung 5 days a week in our Cathedral church by our Boys' and Girls' choirs (click here for the music list.)

From time to time, our Cathedral choirs sing in Parishes throughout the Diocese, as also have our Bradford Boys' and Girls' Choirs. From this Sunday, a new and innovative arrangement will be taking place in a Bradford Parish: the Bradford Boys' Choir will become choir in residence at St. Josephs Church, Bradford.

The Boys' choir will sing once a month in St. Josephs Church, complementing the fine congregational singing that is led by cantor and organ each week. It is hoped in the future that other churches throughout the Diocese will be able to benefit from arrangements: indeed, plans are already afoot for the creation of a liturgical boys' choir in Huddersfield .

Choirs on Song in Ilkley

2007-10-05T18:14:00.000Z

They may not have sung all the way on top of the moors as the famous chorus goes, but the Bradford Boys' and Girls' choirs recently delighted concert goers in the historic town of Ilkley.

All Saints Parish church was packed for the Gala Concert which featured a wide range of music ranging from 14th Century Catalan songs through to a medley from Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'

The Girls' choir entertained the audience with songs from Africa (complete with percussion) alongside 'Hail Holy Queen' from Sister Act and Caccini's Ave Maria. The boys' complemented these selections by singing songs from the Llibre Vermell and works by Peter Hurford and Mervyn Cousins.

The choirs opened the concert together with the Gloria from Haydn's 'St. Nicholas' Mass, also joining together to sing the spiritual 'I am his child' by Moses Hogan.

The concert was rounded off with organ solos fro the two conductors: Christopher Johns played Percy Whitlock's evocative 'Folk tune' while Christopher McElroy roused the audience with a transcription of War march of the Priests by Felix Mendelssohn.

MP supports cathedral choirs

2007-10-05T18:02:00.000Z

Frank Field, MP for Birkenhead recently published an article praising the work of music and choirs in Cathedrals in England, both Anglican and Catholic.

Describing Cathedral choirs as a 'national musical treasure chest' the MP makes the case for Cathedral Academies as a model for future choir schools. In his article Frank Field holds up the Diocese of Leeds music program as an example of thinking for the future outside of the traditional 'choir school' approach.

With 35 schools now working in partnership with the Diocese, and upwards of 1500 children singing across West Yorkshire on a weekly basis, the Dioceses of Leeds music program is now the largest Cathedral/ Diocesan music program in the UK.

Torchlight procession

2007-10-05T17:47:00.000Z

This week saw the revival of a long treasured occasion: the Batley torchlight procession. Torchlight processions are familiar to those who travel on Pilgrimage to Lourdes each year, but less common here in England.

The procession began with the singing of the 'new' Lourdes Hymn 'Holy Virgin, by God's Decree' which was followed by a welcome from Bishop Roche. The Homily was preached by Bishop Hopes, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and chair of the Bishops' Conference Liturgy committee.

The procession ended with solemn Pontifical Benediction in St. Mary of the Angels Church. As the procession entered the church the choir sang two contrasting settings of the Hail Mary: 'Bogoroditse Devo' from the All Night Vigil by Rachmaninov, and a setting in Latin by Victoria.

Benediction saw the singing of the traditional plainsong melodies of the O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo, alongside Palestrina's motet 'Adoramus Te.' The service concluded with all singing the seasonal antiphon to the Blessed Mother: Salve Regina.

All Saints choir hit the right note!

2007-09-19T07:33:00.000Z

The Diocese of Leeds gave birth yesterday to yet another choir! The newly formed choir of All Saints Catholic College in Huddersfield made their first public performance on the occasion of the installation of Fr. Ian Smith as Parish Priest of Huddersfield North by Bishop Roche.

After only three weeks of rehearsals the choir acquitted themselves very well, singing a wide range of music ranging from a haunting setting of the beautiful 'Anima Christi' text, through to a contemporary setting of the Gloria by Bob Hurd - 'Missa Ubi Caritas' which is notable for the syncopated rhythms provided by the bongos and tambourine, expertly played by the schools music staff!

UPDATE - Article in the Huddersfield Examiner 'Going for Gold'

Cathedral Concerts

2007-09-18T16:46:00.000Z

Each week, on Thursday lunchtimes, Leeds Cathedral host a wide variety of music concerts as part of the Cathedrals' outreach to the wider community.

These concerts feature both the organ, and other instruments and voices.

The coming terms program feature amongst others a return visit by the Leeds College of Music Sax ensemble, Bach flute sonatas, Unaccompanied Works for Violin & Cello and much more.

Concert begin at 1.10pm each Thursday, and are free. A retiring collection is taken at the conclusion of each concert.

We hope to see you there!

Requiem Mass for Jane Tomlinson

2007-09-14T17:18:00.000Z

Friday 14th September saw the City of Leeds bid farewell to Jane Tomlinson, the lady who raised both money and support for others despite suffering for incurable cancer herself.

The Funeral was a high profile occasion, being broadcast live on BBC News 24 and Sky News and BBC Radio Leeds. News bulletins throughout the day also carried music and images from the Mass. The Mass was also broadcast on the big screen in Millennium Square in Leeds, where over a 1000 people gathered to give thanks for Jane's life.

The music was led by the Cathedral boys' and adult choir. Much of the music was chosen by Jane herself as it had been sung/ played at her wedding. The choir led the congregation in the singing of hymns such as 'Faith of our Father,' as well as the Latin plainsong Requiem Mass. During communion the choir sang Colin Mawby's powerful full setting of the Ave Verum.

Choir Chaplain celebrates 25 years ordained!

2007-08-24T07:09:00.000Z

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

2007-08-23T07:40:00.000Z

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

2007-08-22T13:18:00.000Z

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..

2007-08-14T09:39:00.000Z

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!

New Job Posting

2007-05-25T08:24:00.000Z

We are looking for a new Choral Director to join our expanding music department. Please do spread the word!

The Diocese of Leeds has an innovative approach to liturgical music centred around its young people. (You may have seen the article in the Tablet 2 weeks ago.) The music programme currently involves 4 childrens choirs at the cathedral and 20 in Bradford. We wish to develop this outreach work from the Cathedral to more schools in the Diocese, particuarly in the areas of Huddersfield and Keighley, and as a result a new full time position is available

This post is funded by Diocesan schools, in conjunction with the Department for Education and Skills.

Diocese of Leeds Seeks Choral Director

To deliver a singing curriculum to children in both primary and secondary schools throughout the Diocese, as part of a well established outreach program.

circa £20.0k plus full pension package

An application pack is available from:

Benjamin Saunders

Director of Music
Cathedral House
Great George Street
Leeds LS2 8BE

Tel. 0113 244 8634

Email: music@leedscathedral.org.uk
Website: www.leedscathedral.org.uk www.bradfordyouthchoir.org

Closing date: 19th June 2007

Busy Summer for Boys

2007-05-25T08:03:00.000Z

The Bradford Boys' Choir have a busy month ahead with both liturgical and concert performances across West Yorkshire.

This Sunday, the feast of Pentecost, the Boys will sing Mass at St. Peter's Church, Bradford. Music will include a Mass setting by Joseph Haydn, Peter Hurford's 'Litany to the Holy Spirit' and 'Come let us all this Day' by J.S Bach.

Then, from the sacred to the profane, the boys will particapate in a performance of Carl Orff's masterpiece 'Carmina Burana'. This takes place on Saturday 16th June at Leeds Town Hall. The boys will join the the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Leeds Cathedral and Leeds Parish Church Boys' choirs accompanied by the Airedale Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Anderson.

Finally, to conclude the end of the first year of Christopher Johns' Directorship, the boys will sing at the Solemn Mass at Leeds Cathedral on Sunday 24th June at 11am.

Roll of Honour

2007-05-19T17:41:00.000Z

Following this years success at the Wharfedale Festival, the BYC 'Roll of Honour' has been updated. Take a look here

Thus far we have had our choirs win prizes at two local music festivals, in addition to Yorkshire Martyrs taking the coveted 'Yorkshire Schools Choir of the Year' title for 2007.

Next year will hopefully see us venturing to other music festivals in the area, particularly the Mrs Sunderland competition in Huddersfield, and the Harrogate competition.

Wharfadale Festival Successes!

2007-05-19T08:40:00.000Z

This years Wharfedale Festival of Performing Arts featured a record number of BYC schools: 10 in all! Between them, they competed in 6 classes singing 24 different pieces of music!!

All the BYC schools performed extremely well: for most, it was their first ever visit to a musical festival and they all thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Two trophy's will spend the next year in Bradford at St. Josephs Catholic College. The A P Farnum Trophy was awarded to St. Josephs for winning the School Choirs 13 and under class. In the same class, the recently formed St. Bedes Male Voice choir achieved a commendable 2nd place with their hearty rendition of 'You'll never walk alone.' St. Joseph's College Choir also claimed the The Elizabeth Ingle Memorial Trophy in the church music class, with a magical performance of Douglas Coombes 'Sing to the Lord of Heaven' (commissioned for last year's festival and premiered by Yorkshire Martyrs.)

Out of 8 choirs competing in the primary school class, 6 were led by BYC directors Christopher Johns and Christopher McElroy. All performed very well with many commendations: St. Walburgas picking up a creditable 2nd place to overall winners; Clayton CoE.

Joseph Update

2007-05-17T06:01:00.000Z

Unfortunately the BBC Joseph Choir Search site is unable to cope with the 'phenomenal' number of visitors looking to vote, so they have closed it down until next Monday, 21st May. So Please be patient and cats your vote sometime next week..

As an update, St. Joseph's Bingley are currently 14th !!! (Which would put them in the top 20 that Andrew Lloyd Webber would judge.)

St. Walburgas are 199th.

The Telegraph and Argus on Tuesday published an article 'School choirs 'dream' of TV prime show slot!' about the four different Bradford schools that have all entered the competition.. Let's hope Bradford get a representative in the final 20!

Joseph Choir search

2007-05-15T09:53:00.000Z

Unless you have a very active social life, you will probably have been watching BBC 1's 'Any dream will do' on a Saturday night. The idea behind the show is to find a 'Joseph' to star in the forthcoming West end run of 'Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'

This program provides a very good role model for those of us working with children's singing, particularly for boys. It is good for boy's to see grown men singing, especially on such a prime time TV slot.

As part of the show, the program has organised a search for a primary school choir to sing on the final show, when the winning Joseph will be chosen. To enter a school has to record a 60 second selection from a medley of Joseph songs, and upload them on to the shows website. People are then invited to go on line a view the clips, and vote for the favorites!

Two of our BYC primary schools have entered - so please do go and vote for them! St. Josephs, Bingley can be found here, and St. Walburgas here.

Best of luck to both schools!

Schools Prom Pictures

2007-05-01T08:33:00.000Z

In March, the BYC Girls performed at the City of Bradford Schools' Prom at St. Georges Hall - Bradford's premier venue for music and the arts.

Here are some more pictures of the choir taken on that evening:

Mozart Requiem

2007-04-30T07:20:00.000Z

If you have seen the film 'Amadeus' then you will be familiar with the myths surrounding the composition and completion of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem (1971.)

Yesterday saw the first in what is hoped will be a series of collaborations between the Leeds University Symphony Orchestra and the Choirs of Leeds Cathedral. A packed Cathedral yesterday witnessed a passionate performance of the Mozart Requiem conducted by Diocese of Leeds Choral Director, Christopher Johns.

The soloists were all drawn from the Cathedral choir itself: Laura Lamph (Soprano) Eleanor Corcoran (Alto) Peter Davoren (Tenor) and Dominic Rose (Bass.) The Cathedral Adult choir was joined by the Cathedral Boys' Choir for this performance.

Pictures were taken during the final rehearsal (hence the relaxed dress sense!) as not to disturb the actual performance!

BYC Gala Concert 2007

2007-04-25T07:21:00.000Z

A packed house at St. Bedes Grammar school last night enjoyed the singing over 150 children from Bradford Catholic Secondary and Primary schools. Despite the warm climate in the Great Hall, the children managed to keep their cool (pardon the pun!) and give outstanding performances all around!

Here are a few pictures of the concert: more will be posted over the next few days when I got my breath back!

Holy Family, Keighley

Chris Johns and St Walburgas Primary School Choir

Soloist Djesi Kabeya with St. Cuthert and the First Martyrs Primary School Choir

The St. Bedes MVC on their Debut performance!

St. Anthony's Primary School, Shipley

St. Josephs Catholic College Choir

Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College Choir,

YORKSHIRE SCHOOLS CHOIR OF THE YEAR 2006-2007

St. George

2007-04-24T07:03:00.000Z

St. Georges Day, Patron Saint of England was this year marked by a very special Mass in Leeds Cathedral. The principal celebrant was HE, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales.

The Cardinal was joined by all the Bishops' of England and Wales who are currently in Leeds for plenary session of the Bishops' Conference. The Mass was offered for the intentions of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, who recently celebrated his 80th Birthday.

The universality of the Roman Catholic church was acknowledged in the introit sung by the choir: Duruflé's setting of 'Tu es Petrus' - You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. Following this, the choir, servers, concelebrating priests and bishops all processed into the Cathedral singing a 8 verses of the great Hymn 'For all the Saints.' The Mass was sung to Victoria's 'Missa O Quam Gloriosam,' with motets by Viadana and Colin Mawby. The service concluded with the rousing singing of the acclamations 'Christus Vincit!'

For a slideshow of pictures from the Mass, click here.

Celebrate Leeds 2007 Awards Dinner

2007-04-21T10:00:00.000Z

The Bradford Girls' Choir returned to Leeds Town Hall last night to perform at the Celebrate Leeds 2007 Awards Dinner.

Over the last month, the girls have been working hard on learning sign language! At the request of the organisers, the choir sang 'What a wonderful world' in both song and sign language, led by

Terry Harton, Janet Scarfe and children from the Leeds Society for Deaf and Blind People.

The choirs performance was very well received, with the attendees praising the beautiful sound made by the choir.

3 Choirs concert

2007-04-11T13:54:00.000Z

In May the Bradford Girls' Choir will join the Yorkshire Youth Choir and Oldham Youth Choir on the Stage of Huddersfield Town Hall for a concert in aid of the West Yorkshire Forget me not Trust.

Get your tickets now for what promises to be a very exciting evening of choral music sung by some of the North of England's finest young singers.

Cathedral Organs I: Phoenix

2007-04-10T21:14:00.000Z

At the present time the temporary organ in Leeds Cathedral is an electronic model by Phoenix organs. The Cathedral pipe organ is presently in storage in Germany, and it is hoped that it will be renovated and restored in the near future.

The Phoenix organ was designed and built in 2005.

A full stop list and details on the layout on the organ can be found here

To hear the organ played by yours truly, click here (you can even listen to tracks from the Cathedral Choir's 2005 CD Lauda Sion)

As far as electronic organs go, this has to be one of the most realistic I have ever played.

Triduum III: Easter Vigil

2007-04-08T20:52:00.000Z

For those choir members who had made sacrifices over Lent (chocolate and alcohol being among the top things being given up!) the end of Lent couldn't come quick enough. Well, it didn't exactly come as quickly as they might have hoped as the Easter Vigil lasted 2 1/2 hours! There is a lot to pack in: the lighting of the the fire, the singing of the Exsultet, the readings and psalms, the initiation rites - and that's all before we reach the preparation of the Gifts!

This liturgy also saw the debut of our new chamber organ, purchased for used in weekday services of Mass and Vespers which are sung each day during term time. The chamber organ was used both as a continuo instrument (Gabrieli's Jubilate Deo) and in alternum with the main organ (In Corea d'Axauro's Lauda Sion Salvatorem.) More on the organs in a future post.

Concluding the service a rather tired organist managed to find the energy to play Jehan Alain's Litanies: a work particularly well suited to the Easter Vigil.

Triduum II: Good Friday

2007-04-07T09:34:00.000Z

Red is the colour of the Day. The service is broken into three parts - the Liturgy of the word (with the reading of the passion - we hope that next year this will be sung) the Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion.

Musically, the service is a feast of unaccompanied singing. This year the reproaches where sung to a haunting setting in Greek by Hungarian composer Lajos Bárdos - a real find. The music of John Shepherd was featured (Salvator mundi, In manus tuus) alongside William Byrd's magnificent 'Infelix ego.'

Triduum I: Holy Thursday

2007-04-06T09:44:00.000Z

After the packed celebration of the Chrism Mass on Wednesday evening, it all seems much more still and solemn on Thursday evening for the first of the liturgies of the Triduum. The Triduum ('three days') consists of the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. They are seen as one 'event' spread over the three days.

Many of the greatest musical treasures from the churches heritage were written for use in the liturgical services and offices of Holy Week. This is the first year we have celebrated the passion and Resurrection of Christ back in our newly restored and renovated Cathedral so it was a particularly memorable occasion.

The Mass on Holy Thursday is traditionally called the 'Mass of the Lord's Supper' - the night on which we particularly recall the Last Supper. The Mass also included the 'washing of feet- where the Bishop washed the feet of twelve members of the congregation as Jesus himself did.

The celebration began with the Latin introit 'Nos autem' (Let us glory in the cross) which set the scene for the the coming days. The setting of the ordinary was Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli (complete with bell ringing...) and motets included 'If ye Love me' and 'O Sacrum Convivium' by Tallis. The service drew to a close with the traditional procession of the Blessed Sacrament, during which the choir led the singing of Pange Lingua, before concluding the hymn with Victoria's setting of the Tantum Ergo.

Chrism Mass

2007-04-05T08:12:00.000Z

Each year on the Wednesday of Holy Week the Bishop and priests of our Diocese come together for the celebration of the Chrism Mass. This Mass has two special purposes - firstly, to bless the holy oils used in the churches ministry throughout the year. Secondly, for the priests to renew their commitment to the church.

The Chrism Mass is held in the Cathedral, and this year the music was led by the Cathedral Boys' and Adult choirs. During the procession of priests at the beginning of the Mass, the choir sang the words of the psalmist 'I was glad, when they said unto me, let us go up to the house of the Lord!' However, this was not in the well known setting by Parry (sung at the coronation of British Monarchs) but to the original Latin text 'Laetatus Sum' set to music by Juan García de Salazar. You can read more about this piece, and even hear clips on the Amazon website.

Other music for the Mass included Colin Mawby's popular 'Ave Verum,' a movement of the Vivaldi Gloria and parts of the Mass of St. Anne by James McMillan. A notable feature of large diocesan celebrations in the Leeds Diocese is the communal singing of the Eucharistic Prayer by the Bishop and Priests accompanied by the organ: a very powerful sound indeed!

Holy Week music in Selby

2007-04-04T09:42:00.000Z

If you can't make it to the Cathedral in Holy Week, then we'll come to you!

Well that's what happened this week for parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Selby. The Cathedral Adult choir presented a program of music for this most sacred of weeks, all of which will be heard in the liturgies of Holy Week in Cathedral this coming week.

The concert opened with the choir singing the Holy Thursday Hymn 'Pange Lingua' followed by Victoria's setting of the conclusion 'Tantum ergo.' The repertoire featured polyphonic repertoire from both England (Tallis, Shepperd, Taverner) and the Continent (Auraxo, Pallestrina) alongside more contemporary works including Avro Pärt's Beatitudes and the moving setting of the Good Friday Reproaches by Bardos.

The choirs singing was complemented by passiontide chorale preludes by Bach and Buxtehude played on the organ by Assistant Director of Music, Christopher McElroy.

Palm Sunday

2007-04-01T20:16:00.000Z

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the busiest seven days each year in a Catholic liturgical musicians calendar: Holy Week!

In Leeds, the choirs of the Cathedral and Parish Church traditionally begin the Palm Sunday Liturgy together in an ecumenical celebration in the presence of the Lord Mayor. This takes place in Millennium Square, a short procession away from the Cathedral.

The service opened with the joint Cathedral and Parish Church Choirs singing the opening antiphon 'Hossana Filio David' to a setting by Victoria. After the reading of the first Gospel and the sprinkling of Palms by the Bishop, the choirs and congregations processed singing the 9th Century hymn of St Theodulph of Orleans: 'All Glory, laud and honour.'

The Cathedral choir of Girls and Men then continued the Palm Sunday Mass in the Cathedral with music by Kenneth Leighton (Solus ad Victimam) and John Ireland's 'Greater Love.'

Director of Music

2007-03-31T06:52:00.001Z

If you haven't done so already, take a look at http://www.directorofmusic.org/ This is the home site of Ben Saunders, Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds.

On this site you can listen to samples of Ben's organ playing, as well as view some of his compositions, arrangements and editions.

St. Cuthberts CD date

2007-03-28T20:00:00.000Z

BYC Primary School St Cuthbert and the First Martyrs recently undertook an all day CD recording, capturing not only the sound of the school choir, but of each class in the school.

Recorded in the fine acoustic of the school hall, all the long hours of careful practice for the singers paid off with great concentration shown by all. The music was directed jointly by Catharine Bolland, Music Co-ordinator at St. Cuthbert and the First Martyrs, and Christopher Johns, Assistant Director of the Bradford Youth Choir.

A wide range of repertoire was recorded ranging from folk songs, Latin Motets (Ave Maria - Cousins) through to African songs (Siyahamba) and contemporary Catholic classics such as 'Christ be our light' (Farrell) and 'Here I am, Lord. (Schutte.) Watch this space for CD release date!

SJC at City Hall

2007-03-28T07:22:00.000Z

The choir of St. Josephs Catholic College, Bradford yesterday sang at a civic luncheon in City Hall at the invitation of The Lord Mayor. The reception and luncheon was given in honour of the Women's section of the Royal British Legion.

The choir members were honoured to meet the Lord Mayor, Councillor Choudhary Rangzeb & the Lady Mayoress Mrs Zahida Rangzeb. Thanking them for their wonderful singing, the Lord Mayor presented the choir with a crystal vase (which now sits proudly in the schools trophy cabinet!) and golden 'City of Bradford' badges to each choir member.

As the guests of honour arrived for the drinks reception, the choir sang a half hour program of classics, both sacred and secular which included music from shows (Grease, Les Mis) pop bands (Yellow Submarine, You raise me up) Irish folk music (Caleno Custoreme) and Hymns (Amazing Grace, Shout Joyfully to the Lord.)

After dinner, the girls presented a 15 minute program of music in the Banqueting hall itself. The choirs repertoire included some special requests on this occasion. Members of the British Legion requested 'White cliff's of Dover' and 'We'll meet again,' and the Lord Mayor requested the choir close with the county hymn, 'Lord of All Hopefulness.'

Beauty in Worship

2007-03-25T13:30:00.000Z

Saturday's Telegraph carries an interesting article by Christopher Howse entitles The Lost Language of Worship. In it, the author comments on Pope Benedict's recent document on the Eucharist Sacramentum Caritatis, "The Sacrament of Love", noting the Popes desire for beauty in the liturgy.

Howse then goes on to state:

"The Pope hopes that "everything related to Eucharist should be marked by beauty". We know that music and architecture - a Byrd Mass, say and a Gothic cathedral - reach transcendently high beauty, which, while it reflects the godly work of the Eucharist, appeals to anyone sympathetic to the cultural conventions.

But most people in Britain today do not take to Byrd and cathedral architecture like ducks to water. They are bored by high culture because they are blind to its language. Worse, they have been led away from any chance of appreciating high culture by being fed noisy, ephemeral, brutish culture. A few hours of hip-hop videos at night-time inoculate against any appeal of renaissance polyphony next morning."

Well, whilst he might be right for much of the country, here in the Diocese of Leeds children do enjoy singing Byrd, and chant, and other forms of 'beautiful' music just as Pope Benedict calls us to do! However, they also enjoy pop music, hip-hop videos and the like also - just not in church!

Born for this

2007-03-25T12:40:00.000Z

A traditional devotion dear to Catholics during the season of Lent is the Station of the Cross. Last night saw a musical production based on this theme entitled 'Born for This.' The performance took place at Leeds Cathedral and is part of CJM's 2006 Cathedral Tour which features Nottingham, Birmingham and Northampton in addition to Leeds.

The performance was led by CJM musicians Boyce and Stanley, completed with orchestra, professional soloists and a massed youth choir of 100 voices from BYC schools. All four of our BYC Secondary schools took part: St. Bedes, St. Josephs College, Holy Family Keighley and Yorkshire Martyrs.

The Born for this website describes how the production first came together:

As with many project of this scale, Born for This is a work that has matured slowly over several years. After reading Jude Martin's powerful, poetic reflections on the Stations of the Cross, in January 1994 Joanne Boyce agreed to write songs to accompany them.

Around the same time, Jude came across some beautiful impressions of the Stations of the Cross by the artist Peter Clare (these are part of a larger cycle of paintings called The Journey) Peter too, impressed by the music and the words, agreed to have his work included as part of the Born for This project.

These creative strands have come together to produce one of the most moving re-tellings of Christ's Passion.

Members of the St. Bedes Male Voice Choir with artists Boyce and Stanley:

Schools' Prom

2007-03-22T09:41:00.000Z

St. Georges Hall, Bradford's premier venue for the concert performances, last night hosted the Annual Schools' Prom featuring over 300 musical pupils from across the Bradford Metropolitan area.

The concert featured performances by the Bradford Youth Orchestra (who will tour Poland this Summer) local soprano Julia Williams from Bradford Girls’ Grammar School , and other young musicians from both primary and secondary schools who all performed to the packed house!

Making their third appearance in St Georges Hall in 6 months, the Bradford Girls' Choir brought to a close the first half of the concert. Opening with 'Hail, Holy Queen' from Sister Act the choir then sang 'God, beyond all names' which they recently performed on their BBC Radio 4 broadcast. The children in the audience particularly enjoyed the performance of 'You raise me, up' which followed, many of them could be seen mouthing the words as the choir was singing! The Girls' choir selections finished with a lively arrangement of 'Freedom is coming' complete with African drums bring the the first half of the concert to a rousing conclusion.

Girls' Choir Festival

2007-03-14T09:54:00.000Z

Saturday saw the Yorkshire Cathedral Girls' Choirs' festival, which this year took place at Leeds Parish Church. Formed in 1998 by Louise Marsh of Wakefield Cathedral, the festival involves the Girl choristers and men from the Cathedrals of Ripon, Sheffield, Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds, York Minster and Leeds Parish Church. They come together annually to sing Evensong in one of the host institutions.

Music for this years service included William Mathias (Jesus College Service) and Sir Edward Elgar (Great is the Lord.) The choirs were directed by David Houlder, Sub Organist & Director of the Girls' Choir at Leeds Parish Church and accompanied on the organ by Dr Simon Lindley who performed the Elgar organ sonata after the service.

The girls choir at Leeds is the only Roman Catholic choir that participates in this festival, so it gives the choir the opportunity to learn repertoire that we wouldn't usually sing at the Cathedral!

BYC Choir wins Robertshaw Festival!

2007-03-09T20:20:00.000Z

For the 3rd Year running, the Primary Schools singing class of the Robertshaw Festival in Bingley, has been won by a BYC school! Under the direction of Ms. Fernly, St. Walburgas pipped runners-up St. Josephs, Bingley (last years winners) by one mark to take the Harry Haddock shield!

The adjudicator was very positive in her comments about both BYC schools complementing them on their tone and clear diction. She also noted how delighted she was to hear primary schools singing in Latin - 'such a beautiful language to sing in!'

St. Walburgas opened with an Ave Maria by Mervyn Cousins, former Director of Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and now Director of Music of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod , home of the famous 'Choir of the World' Competition. This was followed in a lighter vain with 'Chitty chitty bang bang! which drew rapturous applause from the audience.

St. Josephs also began with a Latin text, 'Jubilate Deo' in a setting by the Taize community. This contrasted with the song 'Hail, King of the Jews' in a sombre minor key in which the choir showed many different colours and dynamics.

BBC Daily Service

2007-03-05T14:34:00.000Z

Today the Bradford Girls Choir broadcast the Daily Service live on BBC R4 LW. The broadcast took place in Emmanuel Church, Didsbury, Manchester requiring a pick up time for the choir of 5.45am!

To listen again to the service click here. (click 'listen again' Monday 5th March)

The service was presented by Clair Jaquiss and produced by Simon Vivian. They can be seen in the picture below with the Bradford Girls' Choir and Organist Benjamin Saunders and Choir Director Christopher McElroy.

Music sung by the choir ranged from a translation of the 6th Century hymn 'The Glory of these Forty Days' through to a contemporary piece by Catholic composer Bernadette Farrell 'God beyond all names.' Also featured was the hymn 'Just as I am' appropriately also written by a female composer, Charlotte Elliott in the 19th Century.

BYC Girls' to sing on the BBC

2007-03-03T09:27:00.000Z

On Monday a significant milestone will be reached in the Bradford Youth Choir program with the first national BBC broadcast. The BYC Girls' Choir, 45 in number, will sing on the 'Daily Service' on BBC R4 LW at 9.45am.

Don't worry if you miss the broadcast as it is available again via the BBC's listen again feature from the website. I will post a link on Monday. A report in the local newspaper (The Bradford Telegraph and Argus) can be read here.

New Model for Children's Singing

2007-03-02T14:43:00.000Z

The Diocese of Leeds is proud to administer what is the largest Catholic Youth singing program in the UK. Based on a unique partnership model between the Diocese and Catholic Schools, the program has begun to attract considerable interest around the country with several diocese's inviting the leadership team to advise them.

An article was recently published in 'Cathedral Music' about the diocese's model, which can be found here.

Llibre Vermell

2007-03-01T19:34:00.000Z

The Bradford Boys' today performed at a concert at Leeds Cathedral as part of the Cathedral's weekly concert series. The concert consisted of music from the Llibre Vermell alongside Spanish organ and choral music by Correa de Arauxo - very much a 14th Century feel!

The choir sang 'Cuncti simus concanentes' (Let us sing together) as they processed into the Cathedral to a large and appreciative audience. For Catholics familiar with pilgrimages to shrines such as Lourdes, the notion of singing religious and devotional songs in procession will come naturally.

To complete their day in Leeds, the boys joined the Cathedral Choral Scholars to sing Mass for the Feast of St. David; music by Joseph Haydn and selections from the Llibre Vermell being the order of the day.

Audi, benigne conditor

2007-02-21T07:57:00.000Z

Today is Ash Wednesday, traditionally marked by Christians as the first day of Lent. In the Cathedral today at Vespers, we sing the Lenten office hymn 'Audi, benigne conditor' believed to have been written by Pope Gregory the Great (540-604.)

Music at Mass includes William Byrd's exquisite setting of 'Infelix ego,' from the second part of his Cantiones Sacrae. This sort of music works particularly well in the acoustical setting of the Cathedral. Lent provides a treasure trove of choral works suitable for the liturgy, culminating with Holy Week which will this year feature some previously unheard repertoire in Leeds - more about that later!

Singing the choral services today will be the Cathedral Choral Scholars. As home to one of the finest and most comprehensive Catholic choral programs in the country, Leeds is fortunate to attract high quality applicants for these scholarships. Also offered are organ, choral conducting and composition scholarships.

Leeds Cathedral

2007-02-19T11:26:00.001Z

One of the few major cities in England whose Cathedral is Catholic, Leeds Cathedral is a hidden neo-gothic gem in the centre of the city.

The Cathedral recently re-opened after major restoration work in November 2006. The Solemn Mass of Dedication of the Altar was concelebrated by the Bishops of England and Wales in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio. Music was provided by the Cathedral Boys' and Adult choirs alongside the Bradford Boys' Choir. Music included works by Juan García de Salazar (1639-1710) Ludovico da Viadana (1560-1627) and Colin Mawby, former Master of the Music at Westminster Cathedral. In the restored Cathedral, the choirstalls are placed at the East end of the Cathedral, behind the high Altar and Cathedra.

As part of the re-opening celebrations, the Cathedral commissioned two Magnificats from Colin Mawby. Magnificat primi toni is scored for four part choir with divisi, whilst the Magnificat octavi toni is written for two part treble voices. The four part setting received it's premiere at the First Vespers of Dedication in the presence of the composer.

Since the re-opening, choral music can be heard five days a week in the Cathedral. On Monday through Thursday Vespers and Mass are sung, whilst on Sundays both the 9.30am Mass and the 11am Solemn Mass are sung. The Cathedral boys' and girls' choirs each sing an equal number of services each week alongside the Cathedral adult choir. The wide ranging repertoire includes Gregorian chant, 16/17th Century polyphony alongside masterpieces of the twentieth century including Rachmaninov and Vaughan Williams. The choirs regularly broadcast on BBC radio, including some high profile occasions such as Midnight Mass (2005) and Vespers for the Election of Pope Benedict XVI.

If you get the opportunity, it is well worth paying the Cathedral a visit.

Bradford Boys' Choir

2007-02-18T07:22:00.000Z

Today the BYC Boys' Choir sang Mass for the 7th Sunday in OT at St. Joseph's Church in Keighley.

The Boys' choir began life in February 2005 when over 600 boys were auditioned for a place! The 22 successful boys, aged 8-14 then began weekly rehearsals at St. Bede's Grammar School (the Boys Catholic Grammar in Bradford.)

Since then they have fulfilled a busy program of events, firstly under the direction of BYC director Christopher McElroy, and now under new Assistant Director, Christopher Johns. They have sung at liturgies in many churches in Bradford and Keighley, and performed at concerts in many of West Yorkshire's most prestigious venues including St. George's Hall, Bradford and Leeds and Huddersfield Town Halls.

Upcoming engagements include singing Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana' in Leeds Town Hall on 16th June, in Leeds Town Hall with the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Leeds Cathedral and Leeds Parish Church Boys' choirs accompanied by the Airedale Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Anderson.

Music for today's Mass included the Missa Brevis by Haydn (commonly known as the 'little organ mass') alongside motets from the Llibre Vermel.

Children don't like plainsong and polyphony?

2007-02-18T07:07:00.000Z

In today's Catholic Herald, an interesting article about a successful parish music program in the Midlands. Here, children enjoy singing Missa Orbis Factor alongside motets by Victoria, Tallis and Elgar.

As one who has experienced the same with the children in our choirs, it is interesting to note how children are able to instinctively judge what is good quality music (both old & new) and what is not!

Welcome

2007-02-17T13:44:00.000Z

Welcome to this new blog about the happenings of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds Music Department.

With 6 auditioned choirs and over 20 school choirs and singing groups there is rarely a dull moment!

Leeds Cathedral has 4 choirs who between them sing 9 services a week. Vespers and Mass are sung on a daily basis with much of the repertoire being Gregorian Chant and 16th Century Polyphony.

In Bradford, there are 2 auditioned choirs - the Bradford Boys' and Girls'. These choirs sing both liturgical and concert music. In addition, the Diocesan music department is responsible for choirs in the 4 Catholic high Schools and all the Catholic primary schools in the city.

Future posts will provide an introduction to each of the choirs and members of staff. I do hope you find it interesting and informative!