Concert with the Choir of Royal Holloway

On Saturday 11 March, we were delighted to welcome the Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, to Wells Cathedral, with their conductor, Rupert Gough. The choir gave a spellbinding performance in aid of WCCT and the Choristers were delighted to join them for the first half of the programme. It was particularly wonderful to welcome back Rupert, a former Assistant Organist of Wells Cathedral, and organist Andrew Dewar, a former Junior Organ Scholar at Wells. It was also a huge delight to see James Gooding, a former Wells Head Chorister, who is now singing baritone at Royal Holloway.

The concert opened with J S Bach’s motet, O Jesu Christ, mein Lebens Licht. This was followed by Rupert sublime choral arrangement of Ravel’s Pavane pour one infant defunté, a work that the Choristers thoroughly enjoyed singing. Mendelssohn’s I waited for the Lord is a firm favourite of the Choristers and it was a wonderful to hear them singing this with the visiting choir. The first part of the programme ended with a captivating performance of Lithuanian composer, Vytautas Miškinis’s hypnotic piece Oi šala, šala. This was performed ‘in the round’ with the Choristers and Choir of Royal Holloway gathered in small groups surrounding the audience. It’s certainly the first time the Choristers had sung a piece in Lithuanian!

The next two items were by contemporary Norwegian composer, Ola Gjeilo. Firstly, an arrangement of a traditional Norwegian song, Ingen Vinner Frem. The composer’s peaceful and introspective Agnus Dei followed, filling the Cathedral with the Choir’s glowing sound, as did Matthew Coleridge’s setting of the German evening hymn, Abenleid. The final two items of the concert were by the 20th-century French composer, Pierre Villette. The first, his Hymne à la Vierge, is a firm choral favourite with its colourful flowing harmonies. The second, larger work was Villette’s Missa ‘Da Pacem’, performed in a Rupert Gough’s own arrangement for choir and organ, which brought the concert to a stunning close.

We are extremely grateful to them all for coming to Wells and giving us such a treat of a concert!

The Duchess of Edinburgh: Our Royal Patron

The Chair and Trustees of Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust are delighted to hear that His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness’s 59th birthday. The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will continue Prince Philip’s legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential.

The Duchess of Edinburgh is the Royal Patron of Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust, which aims to ensure that talented children regardless of their families financial background, have the opportunity to become Cathedral Choristers at Wells. The choristers benefit from a first class musical education at Wells Cathedral School.

A Captivating Ceremony!

The Choristers' performance last Saturday of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols was utterly captivating. Performing to a full nave, with Alexander Hamilton conducting and Ruth Faber playing the harp, they together brought out the magic of this extraordinary work.

The Choristers' singing was committed and brilliant, and they clearly demonstrated their love of the music! Particular credit must go to the soloists: Oliver, Aleksei, Belinda, Rosie, Beatrice, Petra and Estella.

Many thanks to the hundreds of people who came to hear them, gave the Choristers a well-deserved standing ovation, and supported the work of the Trust.

A Review of the Cathedral Music Landscape

To all Friends of WCCT and all interested in our work for Wells Cathedral Choristers -

Please find a link here to the very recent report commissioned by the Cathedral Music Trust, formerly known as Friends of Cathedral Music.

I am providing this as Chair of the WCCT, but I am also the Area Representative of CMT for Bath and Wells Diocese. The report is interesting reading, and of course the work we do as a Chorister Trust continues to be so vital, especially in the area of giving life chances to girls and boys equally. At Wells all choristers are equally valued and highly regarded. CMT are terrific supporters of Wells Cathedral and their musical tradition.

A Review of the Cathedral Music Landscape - Click to view

Please save the date for next year’s Chorister Trust Evensong on Saturday 7thOctober, which will also include up to 100 members of CMT as they will be spending a weekend at a National Gathering in Wells from 6-8th October 2023. There will be a special fund raising concert for WCCT on the Friday October 6th so I suggest you save that date too. More details to follow.

Very best wishes

Arnold Wills
chairman@wcct.co.uk

Annual Evensong - 1 October

WCCT Annual Evensong - Saturday 1st October 2022 at 5.15pm (seated by 4.55pm)

The Wells Cathedral Chorister Trust Annual Evensong is on Saturday 1 October 2022 at 5.15pm (people are asked to be seated by 4.55pm) at Wells Cathedral. This is always a wonderful occasion and the collection taken at the service is passed to WCCT and put to good use, making choral training open to many more promising young singers.

If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation to support the work of the Trust please click here.

Wonderful Concert with The Gesualdo Six

The Choristers had a wonderful time on Saturday performing in concert with The Gesualdo Six and their director, Owain Park (former Organ Scholar at Wells Cathedral).

They spent time in the afternoon working with Owain and the consort, discussing and shaping the music for the evening’s concert.

The Gesualdo Six opened the concert by perming a number of English motets - Renaissance masterpieces from the Golden Age of polyphony in England by the likes of Tallis, Byrd, and White before the Choristers joined them for a glorious rendition of John Sheppard’s Libera Nos (II).

The second half opened with the Choristers performing again with the consort in Jean Mouton’s beautiful Salva Nos, Domine. Mouton was a Renaissance French composer who celebrates his 500th anniversary this year.

The Gesulado Six went on to thrill the audience with further works by Gombert and Bingen before moving to contemporary works written by Park himself and Alison Willis. The consort were then joined by trumpeter and Former Chorister, Erin Davies, who joined them in performing works by Alec Roth and Richard Barnard, much to the audience’s delight. The concert then concluded with a mesmerising work by Canadian composer, Eleanor Daley.

The concert was followed by a reception for the Friends of WCCT, at which The Gesulado Six further entertained the thrilled guests with some close harmony numbers! It was a fantastic evening and we are extremely grateful to Owain and the other members of the consort for coming and helping the Trust in our fundraising endeavours.

 
 
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