I joined St Mary’s choir in July. The intention was to stay for a month, until the choirs I normally sing with would resume after the summer. Six months later, I’m still here and it’s beginning to feel as though I might be staying for a while. The learning curve – from learning the geography of the church and processing without stepping out of line, to amassing repertoire – is überwhelming and I’m just at the very bottom.
Apart from a few rough moments, it’s been tremendously enjoyable. Moments that stand out in my mind include evensong at Chelmsford, apple peeling and pie selling, a wedding and gingerbread houses with Oli and the Juniors, a BBQ in summer, mince pies and mulled wine in winter, drinks and carols. If I were to name the one occasion that stands out above all others it must be the Advent Carol service, a truly magical event, and a privilege to be part of.
Many thanks are due: to you all, for a warm welcome and for being so much more than ‘just a choir’; to our massively musical and energetic Musical Director, for his patience and humour; to Gill, for my gown; to Susan, Lesley and Patrick, for music and information; and to the junior choir, for being such a cheerful lot and for giving Annika a great welcome.
And many thanks from Annika!
Karin Fischer-Buder & Annika Maasdorp
Carol Singing for Crossroads Care
Thanks to all who came along to Tesco’s on 20th December in aid of Crossroads Care. There were a record number of us this year – 35 adults, 15 children and 10 band players. Crossroads Care made a total of £894.30p over the course of the day, with around £300 collected during our two-hour slot. A number of St Mary’s Choristers were also part of a small choir organized by Diana Hoy to sing at the Crossroads Christmas Dinner for carers and guests earlier in December. Crossroads are most grateful and say ‘thank you’ to all who sang on both occasions.
Saffron Walden Carnival and the Hamburg Visit
The Saffron Walden Round Table has generously given a cheque of £200 to the Junior Choir from the proceeds collected at the 2011 summer Carnival. This will be used to support the travel costs of members of the Junior Choir when we visit Hamburg in May. Lesley Green, SMMA Chairman has written to the Round Table Committee, thanking them on our behalf.
SMMA Archives
Bron Ferland has held the SMMA Archives for many years and would like to hand this job over at the SMMA AGM next March. Would anyone be interested in housing and keeping these? If so, please speak to Lesley Green or to Bron.
Music People
It is with sadness but with all good wishes for the future that we say a fond farewell to our Assistant Organist Stephen Penton and our loyal Bass singer Mark Bebbington. Both are moving away from our area, but will be keeping in touch with us and both hope to be with us at Leicester in February.
Stephen became Acting Assistant Organist at short notice in the summer of 2010, a role which was made permanent later that year. We shall miss him, not only for his performance as an organist but also for his astounding contribution to Anglo-German relations, keeping up with the exuberant community singing in the social evening during the visit from the Kantorei Gross Flottbek from Hamburg.
Mark joined the choir when the Parish Church choir at Royston disbanded, over ten years ago, Mark had earlier sung with Andrew Malcolm in Ely and brought to us his considerable skill and versatility, singing either First Bass or Second Tenor, according to need.
We are very grateful for their valued contribution to Church music and for their friendship and commitment.
We offer Congratulations to Junior Choir members who gained the following awards on 4th December, last year:
James Marsh, Sophie Ollerenshaw and Tom Rowntree for gaining their Surplices.
Lewis Colley and Nicola Prevost, awarded their Light Blue Ribbons and
Rebecca Prevost, awarded the Yellow ribbon, worn by the ‘Most Improved Chorister’.
On the same day Ellie Beare and Alison Lawrence were commissioned as Choral Scholars and made full members of the adult choir.
Finally, we welcome Jake Nash and Evonne Baltrock, previously Head Choristers, into the Tenor & Soprano Lines as from the beginning of January. Many thanks for your contribution to the Junior Choir
Future Events
Sunday 19th February 2012: Choir Visit to Leicester Cathedral - the choir will be singing the morning Eucharist service and Choral Evensong at Leicester Cathedral.
2nd – 10th June 2012: Festival of Flowers & Music
We are in the process of organizing Lunchtime Concerts for each weekday during the festival, with a dinner with music on the first Saturday and a Gospel Choir on the second Saturday. Watch out for further details of the programme.
Noel Starr
Message of thanks from Stephen Penton
Many thanks for your send-off and kind gift, which will ensure that I will always remember Saffron Walden, St Mary's Church, and living here in the winter! I am sorry that I have to leave so soon after being appointed, but I have thoroughly enjoyed working in the church, and have very much valued the expressions of appreciation that I have received from members of the congregation for my playing. I intend to come back from time to time, and will look forward to seeing old friends on those occasions. With very best wishes,
Stephen.
SMMA AUTUMN/WINTER PROGRAMME 2011 - St Mary's Music Association. Click here or on the image on the left to download the programme of events for this event.
Leicester Cathedral Visit: 19th February 2012.
The Choir will be singing both the morning Eucharist and Choral Evensong on Sunday 19th February 2012 at Leicester Cathedral. More details to follow.
Click on the above to download a flier for this event.
Saffron Walden Choral Society with Britten Sinfonia, Granta Chorale and SignuptoSing present MazeMusic: A gala evening celebrating the rich history of Saffron Walden Saturday 3rd March2012 at 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Saffron Walden.
This forms part of Music Nation, a spectacular weekend of music around the UK setting the scene for the London 2012 Festival, the finale of the Cultural Olympiad.
The concert will première a specially commissioned cantata by Janet Wheeler for choirs and orchestra, with libretto written by Nick Warburton. The programme will also feature music by Byrd, Holst, Vaughan Williams and Michael Tippett as well as Sting, Bob Chilcott and Paul Mealor plus church bells and dancers!
In Autumn 2011, composer Elspeth Brooke and members of Britten Sinfonia began a series of composition workshops with A-level students at Saffron Walden County High School; some of their resultant work will also be performed in the concert.
Tickets for concerts are available from me, Linda Pollard (Tel: 01799 530759, mail:tickets@swchoral.org.uk), over the counter from the Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre in the Market Square, from SWCS members, at the door or by debit/credit card purchase from www.wegottickets.com
Recital 1st October 2011. Oliver King on organ and Shane Brennan on trumpet.
Click on the quaver icon on he left and then click on the track and select whether you wish to listen immediately or download to your hard drive for later. Thanks to Peter de Vile for this recording.
Choristers' Apple Pie Sale 8th October 2011
A record £368.20 was raised which will contribute to the musical education of our young people at St Mary’s. Many thanks to all who baked, sold and bought apple pies.
Our Junior Choir plus Oliver and Bron in the midst of a recording session on 15 September for the soundtrack of a theatrical trailer for a new film adaptation of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". More details to follow in due course. Thanks to Patrick Li for the photo.
Our Choir led the worship for Choral Evensong at Chelsford Cathedral 24 July 2011
The Choir led the worship at Chelmsford Cathedral for Choral Evensong on Sunday 24 July 2011. They sang:
Responses by Richard Ayleward
Canticles by Charles Wood in E flat
Anthem by C V Stanford, Beati Quorum
The Organ Voluntary was Prelude and Fugue in A Minor BWV 543 by J S Bach played by our assistant organist, Stephen Penton.
Thanks to Lesley Green for the above photos.
Choral Evensong at Chelmsford Cathedral
On Sunday 24th July I drove to Evensong at Chelmsford Cathedral, sung by the choir of St Mary’s. It was one of this summer’s rare hot days, and I took the pretty route, surrounded by fields of nearly-ripe corn.
I arrived to find the choir hot, too, and snatching a welcome cup of tea. “We were awful at rehearsal,” some said. “It’s so hot that the notes just sound soggy”. I tried to reassure them. “You will all be fine!”
On that warm evening the cathedral seemed light yet colourful, calm, uncluttered and cool. St Mary’s groupies were there in good time, wanting good seats. A reasonable congregation gradually filled up behind us. As I sat absorbing the atmosphere, I thought back nearly two years to my ordination as deacon in that very building. On that day St Mary’s had become part of my life: how many friends I had made there since! And here I was now supporting the choir, just as then so many people supported me. Thank you, Lord.
Then the choir and Oli processed in with the Precentor. As soon as they opened their mouths I knew that they would be not just fine, but superb. Oli led with encouragement and authority; and every word was clear. The responses by Aylward were firm and confident; they sang Wood’s Magnificat in E flat with energy and his Nunc Dimittis with beautiful meditative serenity. We all joined in the uplifting hymns – Bright the vision that delighted; Immortal love for ever full, and Lead, kindly light. Most inspiring of all was their anthem – Stanford’s Beati Quorum – with high voices soaring and ascending, firmly underpinned by the deeper ones.
The service ended: Stephen gave a strong, resounding rendering of J S Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A minor, and the choir could begin to relax.
Cathedrals pride themselves on their daily rhythm of devoted public worship and their regular offering of choral music to God. It’s a great tribute to St Mary’s musical tradition that the choir could share in our own Diocesan Cathedral’s worship in such a memorable way – and a great joy to be present with them.
Paula Griffiths
Oliver King -Organ Recital - 6 July 2011. Thanks to Peter de Vile for this recording.
Click on the quaver icon on he left to download or listen to these mp3 tracks.
Includes: The Radetsky March - Strauss (arr Rawsthorne); Le Cygne - Saint Saens (arr Rawsthorne); Prelude and Fugue in D major BWV 532 - Bach; Sarabande & Hornpipe - Purcell. Played on the little pipe organ; 8. Suite Gothique Op 25 - Boellmann; Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Tchaikovsky (arr Rawsthorne); and Hornpipe Homoresque - Rawsthorne. Click here to listen to other recordings from St Mary's.
Junior Choir and Bellringers' Floats at the Saffron Walden Carnival 2 July 2011
Click on the above images to enlarge
Saffron Walden Choral Society. Future dates for your diary: 12 November 2011 - Bach B minor Mass, 3 December 2011 - Spirit of Christmas, 28 January 2012 - Singing Day, 3 March 2012 - Maze Music, 16 & 23 June 2012 - Summer Prom: Jubilee Programme (Saffron Walden & Stansted). Liz Jennings,
SWCS Press Officer. tel: 07720 567922 or email:
pressofficer@swchoral.org.uk
Junior Choir News
New Choristers. We are delighted to welcome six new junior choristers Sophie Ollerenshaw, Drousha Price, Jasmine Colley, Tom Rowntree, James Marsh and Eleanor Game. We hope that they will enjoy the experience of singing and grow in their Christian faith during their time with us.
Junior Chorister Awards
Congratulations to Nathan Colley and Nicola Prevost who have been awarded their surplices, Evonne Baltrock and Jake Nash who have gained their Dark Blue Ribbons and Alex Prevost, the winner of the Yellow Ribbon and shield as the Most Improved Chorister this term.
Membership of the St Mary’s Music Association (SMMA)
There seems to be some confusion about membership of the SMMA. All members of the Choir, and/or Brass Group are automatically members of the St Mary’s Music Association. There is no fee and no form to be completed. Other people who would like to support the Church music are members on expressing a wish to be so! Please do not feel that the SMMA is only for members of the choir – it is open to all!
Noel Starr
Choral Scholarships.
Ellie Harpum and Matthew Jones are our first Choral Scholars and three other young people have indicated that they are interested in the scheme which became effective from the first of March.
The Choral Scholar scheme is now in operation and Oli King, Director of Music, will be happy to talk with any teenager who is interested in becoming a ‘Choral Scholar’. Young people under 18 years old in full-time education who are members of the Adult Choir may be granted the title of ‘Choral Scholar’
The scholarships will be worth £40 per term, subject to satisfactory commitment and a specified minimum level of attendance. and are open both to choristers moving up from the Junior Choir and to new entrants, and the title will be awarded after a probationary period of three months.
SMMA Choral Evensong - 13 March 2011. Thanks to Peter de Vile for this recording.
Click on the quaver icon on he left to download or listen to these mp3 tracks.
A new window will appear and then you can then click on the track you want to listen to. Another window will appear and then click on the left hand quaver or download command - top leftabove the quaver icon. You will then be given the choice of 'Save' - to save to your hardrive or 'Open' - to listen to the track without saving.
Recordings of Christmas Services 2010 at St Mary's, including our Advent Carol Service, Service of 9 Lessons and Carols and the 10am Service on Christmas morning.
Click on the quaver icon on the left to listen to recordings of these services.
Carol Singing for Crossroads Care Tesco 22nd December 2010
Click here or on the photo on the left to see a slide show of this event.
Sale of Choristers' Apple Pies
Saturday 9th October 2010
A record total of £320.35 was raised for choir funds. Many thanks to all those who made and sold these apple pies. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Junior Choir sings at the Centenary Celebrations at St John''s Church Little Walden 11 September 2010.
Chick on the photo on the left to enlarge and click here to read an account of the service by a junior chorister.
Click here for the recording (thanks to Peter De Vile) of Choral Eucharist on 27th June 2010 at which Anne Howson presided following her ordination to the Priesthood in the morning.
SMMA Festival Evensong held on Sunday 13th
June 2010. Click here (and then click on appropriate icon and then on the download button, top left) to listen to a recording of this service made by Peter De Vile. Gordon Smith was the Director of Music, with Stephen Penton on the organ.
Kantorei Gross Flottbek Choir from Hamburg at St Mary's 16th May 2010
Click here to hear our guests' contribution to our 10 am service on 16th May. 3 tracks totalling 8.38 minutes. Click on the photos to enlarge. See below for more information about this visit.
Festival Evensong of the Friends of Saffron
Walden Church held on Sunday 9th
May. Click here (and then click on appropriate icon and then on the download button, top left) to listen to a recording of this service made by Peter De Vile.
