michaelwilson Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Dónal McCann, organ scholar at King's College Cambridge, has been appointed Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Butler Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Can anyone shed any light on what's going on at Sheffield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Monkhouse Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I can shed no light, only add to the search for it. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has kept up with contemporary church politics and finances. The current situation and the likely immediate future make for very gloomy prospects for the church in general and cathedrals and choirs in particular, especially those away from major tourist trails. Think of Carlisle, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bradford, Ripon, Derby, Birmingham, Bury St Edmunds, Portsmouth, Truro. The life of a DOM for cathedrals without choral foundation or choir school must be hugely arduous: chorister recruitment, retention and nurturing, keeping clear of the mires of clergy politics, the routine stuff and more. I hope Sheffield can work its way through this and live to tell the tale. I wonder about the sustainability of boarding choir schools with not only financial pressures, but increasingly too an awareness of the harmful effects of boarding on the very young. And with the economic double whammy of brexit and virus, how many families will be able to afford fees? Sheffield and other places need support.Edit or delete this Like · Reply · 14m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positif Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 I hear Andrew Bryden is leaving (has left?) Ripon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 5 hours ago, Positif said: I hear Andrew Bryden is leaving (has left?) Ripon? Can't find anything from Ripon Cathedral, either on social media or the cathedral website, saying so. Doesn't mean he hasn't of course. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positif Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 16 minutes ago, DaveHarries said: Can't find anything from Ripon Cathedral, either on social media or the cathedral website, saying so. Doesn't mean he hasn't of course. Dave Indeed (which is why it all seems a bit worrying). I saw it on Mr Bryden's Twitter feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJJ Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 ...and is there some kind of interregnum currently at Bury St Edmunds too? A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewG Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 3 hours ago, Positif said: Indeed (which is why it all seems a bit worrying). I saw it on Mr Bryden's Twitter feed. His Twitter Feed and retweets by well placed local sources suggest it is likely to be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Lane Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 On 22/07/2020 at 16:33, Stanley Monkhouse said: I can shed no light, only add to the search for it. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has kept up with contemporary church politics and finances. The current situation and the likely immediate future make for very gloomy prospects for the church in general and cathedrals and choirs in particular, especially those away from major tourist trails. Think of Carlisle, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bradford, Ripon, Derby, Birmingham, Bury St Edmunds, Portsmouth, Truro. The life of a DOM for cathedrals without choral foundation or choir school must be hugely arduous: chorister recruitment, retention and nurturing, keeping clear of the mires of clergy politics, the routine stuff and more. I hope Sheffield can work its way through this and live to tell the tale. I wonder about the sustainability of boarding choir schools with not only financial pressures, but increasingly too an awareness of the harmful effects of boarding on the very young. And with the economic double whammy of brexit and virus, how many families will be able to afford fees? Sheffield and other places need support.Edit or delete this Like · Reply · 14m Indeed, the next few years are going to be tough for the church and choral music. I am not sure it is the case at Sheffield that politics or finances have anything to do with it but rather a desire to be the best in the UK, which has been somewhat elusive of late for the cathedral's music. Personally, I think they are taking the wrong approach by disbanding the choir and starting again, especially in regards to the children (boys), who will suffer the effects on their mental health for the rest of their lives. The double whammy is actually a triple whammy, because the world was going into recession before Covid-19, adding that and Brexit, finances are going to be difficult for many decades, perhaps another reason why disbanding is foolish at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Riponensis Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Ripon - see the Cathedral Newsletter of 26 July in which the Dean writes: At the end of the academic year we announced the departure of our Director of Music, Andrew Bryden, to pursue new opportunities. Andrew joined the cathedral in 1998 as Assistant Director of Music and was promoted to Director of Music in 2003. I’d like to thank Andrew very much for his service to the cathedral over the past 22 years and we wish him well as he looks to the future. Canon Michael has been collecting cards and letters of thanks from people to pass on to Andrew – please be in touch with Canon Michael if you would like to send your own message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptindall Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Looks like a gritted teeth statement to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DHM Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Wakefield is advertising for an Assistant Organist (temporary, one year). The former Assistant is now apparently Acting DoM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Cynan Jones Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Ripon advertising for an Interim Director of Music. https://www.riponcathedral.org.uk/interim-director-of-music/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positif Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 On 27/08/2020 at 22:36, David Cynan Jones said: Ripon advertising for an Interim Director of Music. https://www.riponcathedral.org.uk/interim-director-of-music/ With most cathedral musicians on a term's notice, presumably they're hoping for either an internal appointment or to bring someone out of retirement etc., otherwise it would be a very short fixed term indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwilson Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 St Edmundsbury are advertising for a Director of Music: https://stedscathedral.org/news/vacancies/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 On 27/08/2020 at 22:36, David Cynan Jones said: Ripon advertising for an Interim Director of Music. https://www.riponcathedral.org.uk/interim-director-of-music/ Quick update on this one. The pew sheet from Southwark Cathedral on 18th October advises that the lunchtime organ concert of 19th October was given by Peter Wright - previously (?) DoM of Southwark Cathedral - who is referred to as Interim DoM of Ripon Cathedral: it seems he will be in post as such until Summer 2021. I say "previously" DoM of Southwark Cathedral with a question mark: it is not clear if his departure from Southwark to Ripon is only until next Summer pending return to Southwark after he finishes at Ripon, unless he obtains the Ripon job on a permanent basis of course. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Nigel H Day Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 16 minutes ago, DaveHarries said: Quick update on this one. The pew sheet from Southwark Cathedral on 18th October advises that the lunchtime organ concert of 19th October was given by Peter Wright - previously (?) DoM of Southwark Cathedral - who is referred to as Interim DoM of Ripon Cathedral: it seems he will be in post as such until Summer 2021. I say "previously" DoM of Southwark Cathedral with a question mark: it is not clear if his departure from Southwark to Ripon is only until next Summer pending return to Southwark after he finishes at Ripon, unless he obtains the Ripon job on a permanent basis of course. Dave Ian Keatley is the new DoM replacing PW as of Summer 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwenTurner Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 All straight forward at Southwark. Peter Wright retired. https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/9902 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 2 hours ago, OwenTurner said: All straight forward at Southwark. Peter Wright retired. https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/9902 Thanks for the info. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morris Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 I see that Salisbury Cathedral is looking for an Assistant Director of Music according to Organists Online. https://organistsonline.org/required/Organist-Salisbury-Cathedral-November-27-2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwilson Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 Timothy Parsons has been appointed Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. He is currently Assistant Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveHarries Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 9 hours ago, michaelwilson said: Timothy Parsons has been appointed Director of Music at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. He is currently Assistant Director of Music at Exeter Cathedral. Just had a look on Exeter's website. Luckily they will have Mr. Parsons' talents among them for a while yet as he doesn't move on until April. https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/news-events/latest-news/exeter-cathedrals-assistant-director-of-music-to-take-up-new-role-at-st-edmundsbury/ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vox Humana Posted December 11, 2020 Share Posted December 11, 2020 Advert for the Exeter job https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbouffant Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 On 11/12/2020 at 17:55, Vox Humana said: Advert for the Exeter job https://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/about-us/vacancies/ Not a lot of money in cathedral music making, is there? At least accommodation is provided (tax free) which I guess must be the equivalent of another 20K gross on the base, approximately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 1 hour ago, mrbouffant said: Not a lot of money in cathedral music making, is there? At least accommodation is provided (tax free) which I guess must be the equivalent of another 20K gross on the base, approximately. It's extraordinary really - and SUCH high standards in terms of skills required - and not just referring to Exeter. I wouldn't have thought the accommodation was worth anything like that - even at £1000 a month, it's only £12,000pa, and I doubt very much if the assistant DoM of any cathedral's accommodation equates to £1000 a month - more like £500. Music posts in independent schools (especially boarding schools) where in the best, similar standards and skills may be needed - along with others, of course - make a FAR more lucrative option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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