Sing choirs of schoolkids

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.