Calling all musicians - your Church needs you

The Church of England is looking for musicians to provide music for Advent podcasts later this year. If you are interested, follow this link http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/musicians-needed.aspx

If you want to put your group forward for consideration, please email CofE direct, as shown in the link, not myself. 

Using Psalms in worship

Announcing a one-day training event open to all on "Using Psalms in Worship". Guest speaker Dr Philip Jenson, Old Testament Tutor from Ridley Hall. Plenty of practical workshops in the afternoon for musicians and those not so musically inclined. For poster and booking form, see here: http://rscmely.org.uk/training.html

Crescendo course - still time to apply

There's still time to apply to join "Crescendo" - the music course open to anyone in the Diocese who has an interest in church music. You don't need to be able to play the organ or piano to join but you should have some ability to read music, in at least one clef. You don't need to be leading music in your church either.

Full details can be found here, including an application form. Although the closing date for applications is listed as 14 September 2012, it will be possible to join the course up to mid-October.

Don't be shy - give us a try!! Do get in touch with me if you have any further queries.

Wonderful to see a lot of people at Impington tonight for the launch of Crescendo. Thanks to Revd James Blandford-Baker and Bishop David for all their support and warm encouragement.

Special thanks to everyone who came along - so encouraging and people signed up tonight too. We're on the way - hooray!!

"Crescendo" is here...

Crescendo is here..... the new music training programme for the Diocese of Ely will be launched by Bishop David and myself at St Andrew's Church, Impington on Wednesday, 27th June 2012 at 7.30 pm. 

The programme is open to any member of a church in the Diocese, ministers and laity, who would like to spend 12 months learning more about the use of music in worship. During the training, key aspects will be understanding music in the context of worship and mission and recognising the ability of music to transform lives.  

A wide range of resources will be explored in the course of the year's programme. Trainees should have basic music-reading skills but it is not essential to play the piano or organ, nor to be in a music leadership role in the home parish. In the course of the year, there will be plenty of opportunities to develop personal expertise as relevant. 

Trainings will be led by experienced church musicians with guest speakers for three "core" days which will be open to anyone interested, not just those training on the course.

All ALM Music Ministers in training will become part of the Crescendo programme but joining Crescendo does not give automatic entry to ALM Ministry. 

More information coming soon, so watch this space!

Musical Director sought for the New Cambridge Singers

The New Cambridge Singers are looking for a new Musical Director from September 2013 when Christopher Brown retires. If you are interested, see their webpage for more information here

Last weekend the Association of Cathedral Voluntary Choirs held their 11th Festival in Ely Cathedral, hosted by the Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers. Directed by Paul Trepte (with organist Jonathan Lilley) the choirs sang Choral Evensong and for the Sunday morning Eucharist. Just over 100 singers from nine Cathedrals across the UK joined in. It was a magnificent sight and sound.

Medieval music

Those who have a keen interest in Medieval music may like to follow up this link from Bishop David's blog http://bpdt.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/plainsong-and-medieval-music-free-access-to-latest-issue-from-cambridge-journals/

RIP - Barry Eaden

It is with great sadness that I share the news of the death of Barry Eaden, a committed and faithful servant of church music in this Diocese. 

Barry was, for many years, a distinguished choir director at St Andrew's Church in Chesterton alongside his full-time employment at the University Library in Cambridge. However, it was probably as the organiser of countless Festivals in Ely Cathedral and King's College Cambridge that Barry was best known to many singers, organists and choir directors. In addition, he also undertook all the administration for the RSCM Chorister Awards for many years and was a faithful secretary for the Archdeaconry of Cambridge Church Music Society.

Barry was not only a fine choir trainer and conductor but also a gifted percussionist, well-remembered, too, for his many contributions to local orchestras and his work as a tutor for the Cambridge Schools Holiday Orchestra in its early days.

Of late ill-health had necessitated Barry having to live in a residential home in Bottisham and he died there peacefully on 10 April, aged 73. When Barry "retired" from his Diocesan music duties it became evident that we owed him an immense debt of gratitude and that the jobs he had done so patiently and carefully were going to need many more people to do them instead. In recognition of all his service to church music, Barry was awarded the "Certificate for Special Service" by the Royal School of Church Music  - only a few are awarded each year.

We hope to mark Barry's life (and passing) in a suitable manner at the Festival of Choirs in May in Ely Cathedral. RIP Barry and may you rise again in glory and prayers for those who mourn his passing.