THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL

Hereford and the nearby cities of Gloucester and Worcester take it in turns each year to host the world-famous Three Choirs Festival. This is the oldest music festival in Europe, and possibly in the world, and its origins go back to the early eighteenth century. The 2003 festival was the 276th, and took place in Hereford. The 2004 festival takes place in Gloucester from 7-14 August. For further details please visit the festival's own website.

HEREFORD CHORAL SOCIETY

Hereford Choral Society promotes a season of three concerts at the cathedral each year, one of which is usually a Christmas performance of Handel's Messiah. The society was founded in 1837 and is one of the oldest of its kind in Britain. Its conductor is Geraint Bowen.

Next season’s concerts are as follows:

Saturday 20 November 2004
The Dream of Gerontius Elgar

Saturday 11 December 2004
Messiah Handel

Saturday 12 March 2005
The Rio Grande Lambert
A Child of Our Time Tippett

New members are always welcome: for details and other enquiries please visit the society's own website.

CONCERTS & EVENTS

The cathedral is host to many concerts throughout the year. Some of these are informal lunchtime concerts by visiting ensembles and some are evening events. The cathedral also promotes its own series of lunchtime and evening organ concerts although the evening concerts are suspended during 2004 while the cathedral's Willis organ is being restored. If you wish to enquire about the possibility of holding a concert at the cathedral please contact the office manager, Miss Christine Field.

Other events
Each Christmas the cathedral hosts several carol services by local schools and other organisations. Visit the events page for more information on the current schedule.

DIOCESE OF HEREFORD ORGANIST TRAINING SCHEME

• Is your church lacking an organist for services, weddings and funerals?
• Have you ever considered learning a challenging and rewarding
instrument?
• Are you an existing organist who wishes to improve technique,
improvisation skills or learn new repertoire?
• Do you find adapting new hymns and worship songs difficult and would
you appreciate more training?
• Would you simply like to find out more about the instrument you play?

The scheme, which is inter-denominational, embraces these objectives:

• To provide the churches of the Hereford diocesan area with a greater
number of organists than is presently available.
• To help existing organists improve their skills so that they are able
to serve their church with confidence, enhanced ability, and success.

The scheme offers churches:
• The opportunity to assist in the training of new organists, who can
provide an invaluable service to their church.
• The opportunity to help existing organists improve their skills at the
organ, thus enhancing the quality of worship.

The scheme offers existing church organists:
• The opportunity to update or improve skills in areas in need of
refreshment, with the possibility of sponsorship from your church.
• The opportunity to provide training for a deputy or assistant organist.

The scheme offers students:
• The opportunity to transfer existing keyboard skills to a second and
exciting new instrument.
• The opportunity to offer your skills to your local church and become of
real value to your local community.
• The opportunity to sit an assessment to mark your achievements and to
obtain recognition for this.

The scheme aims to improve the standard of organ playing in services at all levels of ability, from beginner to diploma standard. Students would be expected to have tuition with an approved tutor at regular periods, either weekly or fortnightly. They would also be expected to undertake an appropriate amount of practice.

It is hoped that churches will sponsor a candidate, providing up to half of the tuition fees. In return the student will be asked to undertake within an appropriate timescale certain organ playing duties for the church. The exact level of these would depend upon the ability and experience of the student and the advice of the tutor. When possible, the student should receive some lessons on the organ of the church concerned, helping him or her to use the instrument to its full capability.

Upon completion of a year's tuition each student is encouraged to sit an assessment. Upon successful completion of an assessment, a certificate recognising the candidate's achievement will be presented at the annual Diocesan Choirs Festival at Hereford Cathedral or at another suitable occasion.

For further information, including details of tuition fees, please contact the secretary:

Anne Jardine
Heligan
The Common
Wellington Heath
HR8 1LT
Telephone: 01531 631445

Director of Studies
Shaun Ward MA LTCL
14 College Cloisters
Cathedral Close
Hereford
HR1 2NG
Telephone: 01432 264520
Mobile: 07977 536843
E-mail: shward@nascr.net

 

 

The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) in the area of Herefordshire and South Shropshire arranges workshops and study days for organists and church musicians generally in which students would be encouraged to participate. At such events students have a valuable opportunity to meet and share experiences with other organists in similar situations. The local secretary is Jill Wesson, telephone 01694 771702.

The Herefordshire Organists' Society also actively supports the scheme. The society meets monthly and arranges recitals, masterclasses, lectures and visits to organs in the county and further afield. There is an annual day outing, usually to a large town or city where several organs are visited. Social meetings are included in the programme and quarterly newsletters are issued giving local news and views and details of events; through the society's affiliation to the Incorporated Association of Organists, a subscription to Organists' Review may be obtained at 25% discount. The secretary is Ian Higton, telephone 01432 273985.