March 2006
Notes and News (Soundboard March 2006)	Show Menu

RELAUNCH OF ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC (IRELAND)

Peter Barley writes:

On Saturday 25 March in Christ Church Cathedral there will be seminar and service to celebrate the relaunch of the RSCM in Ireland, and in St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast, similar service is to take place at the same time.

The day will begin at 11 a.m. with workshops on training children's voices (aimed primarily at children) and on new ways of singing the psalms (for adult participants). After a break for lunch, the rehearsal for the service takes place, and after a tea break, the service is to begin at 5 p.m. The preacher at the service in Christ Church Cathedral will be Very Revd Patrick Towers, Provost of Tuam, and the combined choirs will be directed by Judy Martin, the Director of Music at Christ Church. The organist will be the acting assistant organist, Tristan Russcher. The costs are €9.50 for adults from churches with RSCM affiliation, and €2 for children. These costs include a copy of the music to be sung.

The RSCM is very keen to attract singers from across the Republic (and indeed Northern Ireland for the Belfast event). Do also consider becoming an affiliate or member of the RSCM. There are many significant benefits of membership, including the quarterly magazine Church Music Quarterly and its associated guide to choosing music, Sunday by Sunday, the RSCM Press (music and training resources), advice lines, website and courses for singers and organists.

An appealing range of music will be sung as part of the service, including Andrew Carter's Mary's Magnificat, John Tavener's spacious and moving Hymn to the Mother of God and Richard Shephard's Walsingham Magnificat.

Further information can be obtained from Peter Parshall, pparshall@rscm.org and (01) 671 2426

REMUNERATION GUIDELINES

The 2006 guidelines on fees for church musicians have been circulated (electronically) to organists and parish offices. If you haven’t received a copy, send us an e–mail or a stamped addressed envelope. The guidelines are also obtainable on the CMC website.

SUCCESSFUL LIVING WORSHIP COURSE

Twenty people booked for the course on music and liturgy held on four Saturday mornings during January and February. Participants included in-post organists, singers, clergy, ordinands and church music students. The success of the course demonstrated a clear demand for training of this kind and the Church Music Committee plans a similar course in 2007.

HAVE WE GOT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS?

More and more people have Internet access. We have the e-mail addresses of many church musicians in the Dublin region and we send information to them from time to time. If you have gone online recently or are in any doubt as to whether we have your e-mail address, please let us know. All you need to do is send a short message to info@churchmusicdublin.org.

‘SING TO THE WORD’

This useful reference book, published in 2000, is consulted widely by those choosing hymns to fit in with the three-year lectionary. It is currently out-of-print but its author, Bishop Edward Darling, tells us that an updated version will be available on-line later this year.

ORGANISTS ON THE MOVE

Note from Editor: It is hoped to keep readers up to date with organists’ appointments, relocations, etc., but to do this he needs to be informed. Please pass on news as appropriate; everything is not heard on the grapevine!

Des Cox has been appointed organist to St Catherine’s, Donore Avenue.

Hilary Dickinson Guter has been appointed Director of Music to St Brigid’s Church, Stillorgan (formerly at Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church).

Derek Verso has been appointed Director of Music to Christ Church, Bray (formerly at Dún Laoghaire Methodist).

CHORAL IRELAND

Choral Ireland is an informal on-line information, discussion and upcoming events publicity resource. It is aimed at enthusiasts throughout Ireland of choral singing of all genres — from opera to barbershop and oratorio to musicals. Subscribers include performers, leaders, music lovers and media — in fact, all enablers and ennoblers of our choral music traditions Choral Ireland is a great way to keep in touch with what’s going on. To sign up, you simply send an e-mail to choralireland-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. It’s absolutely free. Send your e-mail today and then sit back and wait for the messages! You won’t regret it!

REPORT 'SILENT WORSHIP?' NOW ON LINE

In 1990 the Joint Committee for Church Music in Ireland (which was disbanded in 2000) published Silent Worship? – A report on music in the Church of Ireland, with some recommendations for the future. This excellent report never received the publicity it deserved and very few copies of the printed report seem to exist. It is now available on the Church Music website: www.chuchmusicdublin.org/silentworship.  Well worth investigating!

CHARLES WOOD SUMMER SCHOOL 2006

The dates for this year’s school are 21 to 28th August. The week will start with a concert given by the Swingle Singers for organists. There will be two resident tutors who will lead workshops and give individual tuition.

The organ recital will be shared by three young Northern Irish organists, Darren Hargen, Ian Keatley and Claire Cousens (hopefully). For the Friday evening choral concert, the Charles Wood Singers and Boys’ Choir will be joined by the Alberti Brass Ensemble from London.

More details in the next SOUNDBOARD.

RSCM COURSES

Easter Course for Organists, 18 to 21 April; Course for Volunteer Organists, 20 to 22 June; Summer

Course for Organists 31 July to 5 August; Choral Courses — various.

Full details from the RSCM, Cleveland Lodge, Westhumble, Dorking, RH5 6BW, England,
Tel. 0044 1306 872807,

E-mail education@rscm.com,
Website: www.rscm.com/courses.

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