Music in St. Mary's
Since singing is so good a thing
I wish that all would learn to sing
William Byrd
Music List and Parish Diary for May to September 1999
The Boys' Choir
The particularly English choir of men and boys is a tradition dating back many centuries. From the ranks of our Cathedral, Collegiate and Parish Church Choirs have emerged some of the country's greatest composers and musicians. At St. Mary's this tradition is maintained: during term the boys sing on alternate Sunday mornings, for various Civic Services, and have taken part in various television and radio broadcasts. The choir terms include Christmas Day and Easter Day. Practices take place in St. Mary's on Fridays from 4.45 pm until 6.15 pm. This routine of rehearsal and performance instils a sense of responsibility, self-discipline and self-confidence - all useful in later life.
The repertoire is wide and several times during the course of the year the boys have the opportunity to sing Viennese Masses and other works at the Sunday morning service with the Orchestra of the Restoration.
Normally the boys remain until their voices break, at which time some carry on singing to develop into fine altos, tenors or basses. Former St. Mary's choristers have won places at, for example, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music. The boys are trained by the Director of Music and receive individual tuition from tenor, Richard Roddis.
Boys normally join between the ages of eight and ten, subject to a simple voice test to establish potential.
The Girls' Choir
Founded in 1986, the St. Mary's Girls' Choir is now well established as one of the leading youth choirs in Nottingham. Successes in the Nottingham Festival of Music and Drama include 1st and 2nd prizes, together with the Sisson & Parker Shield, the Nottingham Evening Post Trophy and the Riley Memorial Award.
The Choir was formed with the primary aim of giving girls the chance normally afforded to boys to sing sacred music, and may frequently be heard 'at home' in Nottingham's Civic Church. The Girls Choir alternates singing on Sunday Mornings with the Boys Choir.
The girls have participated in television and radio broadcasts from the church as well as in concerts there and elsewhere.
Trained by soprano Isla Taylor Keys, the St. Mary's Girls' Choir meets on Fridays from 4.45 pm until 6.15 pm. New members are welcome from the age of seven.
The Adult Choir
This gives opportunities to both the experienced singer and to young men and women (sopranos) who have an interest in singing to a high standard - invaluable experience for those considering a Choral Scholarship at a University of moving onto a College of Music.
The role of the men is primarily to provide the Alto, Tenor and Bass parts under the Treble line - be it sung by the Boys, Girls or Sopranos - though there is an interesting corpus of music for men only that is regularly sung. Usually the Wednesday evensong is sung by men only. Sopranos sing with the men on Sunday evenings, and at occasional mid-week Services. The repertoire for all is varied and interesting, ranging from well-known favourites to first performances and commissioned works.
The Choirs have broadcast four live services on BBC Radio 4, recorded Sunday Half-Hour and programmes for the BBC World Service and for BBC Radio Nottingham, and have taken part in the BBC Songs of Praise from St. Mary's and recorded soundtracks for two television programmes.
The Choirs sang for the Reformation Festival in Karlsruhe in 1992 prior to the visit of the Adult Choir to Ghent at the beginning of May 1993. There they have a concert in the presence of His Excellency HM Ambassador to Belgium and the Burgomaster of Ghent as well as singing High Mass in St. Bavo's Cathedral. In April 1994 the Adult Choir sang Evensong in Versailles Cathedral and at Mass in St. Sulpice. In April 1995 the Choir again sang in Versailles Cathedral. In April 1999 the choir went to Notre Dame in Bordeaux.
Concert work has included Handel's Foundling Anthem and Ode on the Birthday of Queen Anne, Purcell's Te Deum and Ode on St Cecilia's Day (1692), Rutter's Requiem, Kodaly's Missa Brevis, Finzi Magnificant and Lo! the full final sacrifice, Duruflé Requiem, and Tavener Two Hymns to the Mother of God and Song for Athene. The children's choirs have provided semi-chorus and soloists for Britten's St. Nicholas, and Rejoice in the Lamb with both the Bingham Choral Society and the Nottingham University Choir.
The Director of Music
John Keys, born and educated in Chester, was awarded the diploma of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music for organ playing whilst still at school, and after 'A levels' was appointed Assistant Organist of Chester Cathedral. From there he took up the Organ Scholarship at New College, Oxford, studying organ with Gillian Weir, working with the College's world-renowned choir, and directing the Musica Antiqua of Oxford in major baroque choral works. Postgraduate studies followed with Lionel Rogg at the Conservatoire de Musique, Geneva, where he won the Première Médaille d'Improvisation, Premier prix de Virtuosité and the Prix Barblan. At this time he also took part in interpretation courses given by Marie-Claire Alain, Piet Kee, André Isoir, and Kenneth Gilbert. He was appointed Director of Music at St. Mary's in 1984, shortly before winning the Fourth Manchester International Organ Competition, and is University Organist, Nottingham University. Since taking up his post at St. Mary's he has continued to give recitals in Europe and Australia as well as building a reputation for the excellence of the Choirs of St. Mary's and developing the activities of the Orchestra of the Restoration, formed in 1988. The St. Mary's Concert, founded in 1986, is acknowledged as one of the finest chamber choirs in the region, specialising in major works of the high baroque. John Keys has conducted the University Choir and Philharmonia in performances of Handel's Athalia, Elgar's Dream of Gerontius and Orff's Carmina Burana, and appears as guest conductor with other regional choirs.
Further information about any of the choirs can be obtained from John Keys
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John Keys MA (Oxon) LRAM ARCM ARCO |
Music lists and Parish Diaries