members’ year book · 2016. 12. 2. · commissioned introit, ‘holy innocents’ by judith weir...

St Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers Association

Published October 2016

Members’ Year Book 2016

Front cover: St. Albans Cathedral at sunset with rainbow.

Photograph by The Reverend Canon Richard Watson, Sub Dean.

St Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’ Association


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Contents

Welcome .................................................................................................................... 2

Message from the Chairman ...................................................................................... 3

President of the Association ....................................................................................... 4

Vice Presidents ........................................................................................................... 5

Honorary Members .................................................................................................... 7

Former Cathedral Choristers – Trebles ..................................................................... 13

Former Abbey Girl Choristers ................................................................................... 24

Former Lay Clerks – Gentlemen of the Choir ............................................................ 27

Former Organ Scholars ............................................................................................. 30

Former Precentors ................................................................................................... 32

Friends of the Ex-Choristers’ Association ................................................................. 33

Former Cathedral Musicians – Deceased ................................................................. 34

The Management Committee 2016 – 17 .................................................................. 37

St Albans Cathedral - Old Choristers’ Associations ................................................... 41

What of the future? ................................................................................................. 48



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Welcome

The Very Reverend Jeffrey John, D. Phil Patron of the Association

Installed as the ninth Dean of St Albans on 2nd July 2004.

Welcome to the 2016 Year Book of the St Albans

Ex-Choristers’ Association. It is very good to see, since it is

such an excellent way to help everyone maintain contact

and keep up with the news.

A lot has happened since the publication of the 2014 Year

Book. At the ‘Veteran’s Gaudy” held in November 2015

older members were able to see the photographic and

document archive of the Cathedral Choirs, and to listen to

some of our older BBC and private sound recordings. After

lunch David Kelsall opened up the Muniment Room and

displayed the many ancient documents and photographs of

the Abbey that are kept there for historical posterity. Most

members had never been up the daunting 46 spiral steps to

David’s eyrie before, but felt it was worth it to see the

amazing extent of the Abbey’s documented history.

In June this year the Association held its biennial reunion and Annual General Meeting with Exquire (the

ECA’s choir), comprising 28 former choristers and lay clerks, who sang the Sunday morning Choral

Eucharist. The choir was conducted by David Ireson with Andrew Parnell playing the organ. It was a great

service, and a particular pleasure to welcome back as preacher Father Neil Kelley, the first organ scholar

of the Cathedral.

In June we also celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Abbey Girls Choir. Choral Evensong was sung by the

Abbey Girls Choir and Lay Clerks, plus some 20 former Abbey Girl Choristers. A highlight was a specially

commissioned Introit, ‘Holy Innocents’ by Judith Weir CBE which was co-sponsored by the Ex-Choristers’

Association.

We were delighted to launch Malcolm’s book, “The Choirs and Musicians of St Albans Cathedral” – one of

the happy results of David Ireson persuading Malcolm to become the ECA Chairman, since it would

probably not have appeared otherwise. Nearly 200 copies have now been sold with the net proceeds being

earmarked for the Cathedral Choirs. Copies are available from the Cathedral Shop!

During this coming year it is hoped to complete and make available to members the initial catalogue of

sound recordings, including commercial records, private recordings and BBC broadcasts. The catalogue

will be supported by CDs, copies of which we hope to be able to lend out to members for private use.

Finally, a plea. It has been difficult finding ex-choristers and/or lay clerks willing to take on committee

roles, and we begin the year 2016-17 without an Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. However, our

quarterly newsletter, Alban Notes, has still been published, and communications maintained with our

members via our website. For holding all this together Malcolm deserves unbounded thanks, but clearly it

is unreasonable to expect him to carry everything himself, and I very much hope help will soon appear.

Please consider if perhaps you could offer some time.

With warmest thanks for all you have given, and still give, to the life of the Cathedral,

Jeffrey



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Message from the Chairman

I have now been Chairman of the St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’

Association for nine years and have greatly enjoyed leading its success. I

hope too that you have similarly enjoyed the benefits of membership. In

writing this message it is good to look back on our achievements and

celebrate a few successes, but also forward to some interesting

challenges.

We continue to remember our President, Peter Hurford whose health has

been in decline for some time and our thoughts and prayers are with

Peter and Pat, and all the family at this difficult time.

Members should be aware that our aim is to hold our reunions on a

biennial basis, outwith the IOF year, although this is not always possible

for various reasons. In June this year Exquire, our ECA Choir, sang a

Service of Choral Eucharist and we were delighted when Dean Jeffrey suggested that we should do this

again and accordingly a further service is being planned for June 2017. This 2016 Members’ Year Book

continues to feature some of our members and hopefully, funds permitting, this will continue in the

future.

Internet technology continues to drives our communications. To date we have published 36 editions of

Alban Notes with over 300 copies distributed by email. We continue to run the website and also have a

Facebook page which I hope will become an outlet for members to express their thoughts and ideas.

Our main challenges include maintaining the interest of our members and their participation in ECA events

and to do this we need a strong committee. It is therefore a concern that some positions on the

committee remain vacant. The roles are not arduous or time consuming so if you believe you could help

manage the association then please do contact me or any member of the committee.

The Dean, in his message, has already very kindly commented on the Association’s activities and, whilst

not specifically an ECA activity, I am very pleased to have sold over 250 copies of my book, ‘The Choirs

and Musicians of St Albans Cathedral’ and recently I was able to present a Gift Aided cheque to Andrew

Lucas, the Master of the Music, for £1,200 (which will yield £1,500 when grossed) and will go towards the

purchase of new surplices for the Cathedral Choir.

I should like to thank all those who have served on the committee over the last two years and have

attended our meetings, in particular Honorary Life Members, David Ireson and Pat Hurford and Honorary

Member, Moira Dean. My personal thanks go to John Meager who decided to stand down this year as Vice

Chairman but has agreed to continue to act as Honorary Treasurer for the time being. John has done a

brilliant job and his ‘shoes will be difficult to fill’. Tony Price, our IT Manager, Laura Hicks and Libby

Godlee, Abbey Girls Choir Representatives, Trevor Jarvis, Nic Gibbon, Peter Jeffs, representing the

Cathedral Choir and also Richard Lilley, who was elected to the committee earlier this year, and Jeremy

Meager who was recently co-opted, are all doing a superb job.

I should also like to thank Dean Jeffrey for his tremendous encouragement, to Andrew Lucas, Vice-

President and Master of the Music, to Tom Winpenny, Assistant Master of the Music and Director of the

Abbey Girls Choir, and Lizzie Smyth, Secretary to the Music Department, for their continuing guidance and

support.

I look forward to 2017 with great enthusiasm and hope that the events and activities that are being

planned will be well supported by members.

Thank you.

Malcolm Bury



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President of the Association

Dr. Peter Hurford OBE, MA (Cantab), DMus. FRCO Honorary Life Member

Photograph: Malcolm Bury

Born on St. Cecilia's Day 1930, Peter Hurford studied at the Royal College of Music before moving to Jesus’

College Cambridge in 1949 where he was organ scholar until 1953 and from where he graduated in music

and law. Peter undertook National Service as an officer in the Royal Signals from 1954 to 1956 after which

he became Organist at Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa.

In 1955 he married Patricia Matthews. Their two sons Michael and Richard were both Woollam’s Scholars in

the Cathedral Choir and Michael also became Head Chorister. Heather, their daughter, was unable to sing

at the Cathedral as there was no Abbey Girls choir at the time.

Peter also initiated the famous ‘Choir Camp’ at Luccombe and in 1958 he brought together many parish

church choirs from Herts and Beds for the first Biennial Diocesan Choirs’ Festival.

In 1963, Peter founded the International Organ Festival and was Artistic Director until 1978. He has been

President ever since.

Peter Hurford's recital career spans 41 years and he is one of the most recorded instrumentalists of the

past twenty years. As a freelance organist from 1978 until 1998 he became particularly well known for his

interpretation of Bach's complete organ music and in 1988 he published his book ‘Making music on the

organ'. He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College

of Music and of the Royal School of Church Music. In 1984 Peter Hurford was honoured with the O.B.E. and

in November 2007 he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Herts., his third.

In March 2013 Peter was awarded the Medal of the Royal College Organists.

As many of you will know, Peter was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 and has been in a nursing

home since November 2012. He is now very frail but despite 3 minor strokes in 2015 continues to show his

enjoyment of music. Pat puts on CD`s when she visits him - mostly Bach - but he is also very fond of the

disc made by Freddie de Rivaz, when he was a chorister.



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Vice Presidents

Andrew Lucas B. Mus, GRSM, FRCO, Hon. FGCM Master of the Music – since 1998

Andrew Lucas has been Master of the Music at the Cathedral and Abbey

Church of St Alban since 1st February 1998, moving to St Albans from the

position of Sub-Organist and Assistant Director of Music of St Paul’s

Cathedral, London, which he had held for the previous eight years.

Born in Shropshire in 1958, Andrew was a chorister in the local parish church

and started to learn the organ when he was 12. He later studied organ at

the Royal College of Music with John Birch and composition with Herbert

Howells. Whilst at the RCM he graduated with a B.Mus. and continued his

organ studies for a while with Peter Hurford. The subsequent award of the

W T Best Scholarship from the Worshipful Company of Musicians enabled him

to study with Piet Kee at the Sweelinck Conservatoire, Amsterdam.

Andrew has been Director of Music of St James’ Church, Sussex Gardens,

London, and later of St Vedast-alias-Foster in the City of London. His career

at St Paul’s Cathedral began as organ student(1980) and subsequently as Assistant Sub-Organist (1985) and

then Sub-Organist (1990). In his time at St Paul’s he made over 25 commercial recordings with the

Cathedral Choir and as a soloist for the Hyperion, Naxos and Mirabilis labels. As an organ soloist he plays

concerts throughout the UK and has given recitals in Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy,

the Netherlands, Australia, Bermuda and the USA. Just before moving to St Albans he spent three very

happy months on sabbatical leave from St Paul’s, covering the position of Organist and Master of the

Choristers at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia in 1997.

As conductor, Andrew has been Chorus Master of the London Concert Choir, assistant conductor of the City

of London Choir and deputy chorus master for Laszlo Heltay with the Royal Choral Society, the Brighton

Festival Chorus and the Academy of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields Chorus, and for David Hill with the

Philharmonia Chorus. He directed the annual Choir Directors’ Course at St Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue,

NYC in 2007. He was Artistic Director of the St Albans International Organ Festival and directed four

festivals from 1999 to 2007. Andrew was made an Honorary Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians in

2006.

As Master of the Music, Andrew has achieved significant success, not only with sustaining the regular

weekly choral services but also with frequent BBC broadcasts, recitals in the Cathedral and around the

Diocese, overseas tours, commercial recordings and the Chorister Outreach Programme. Since 1998, under

Andrew’s direction, the choir has toured Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany and the USA.

Other successes include the formation of Abbey Singers aimed at sustaining valedicted choristers’ interest

in choral music until they begin their tertiary education, and, in conjunction with the Music Trust,

establishing the Endowment Scheme for Chorister and Lay Clerk positions in the Cathedral Choirs. The

Cathedral Choir, directed by Andrew, has made many recordings including Christmas Carols and works by

Stanford, Mozart, Mendelssohn and John Rutter, the later receiving critical acclaim.

Andrew has been responsible for the IOFS’ biennial Three Choirs Concert and from 1999 many cathedral

and collegiate choirs have joined the St Albans Cathedral Choir for these major choral concerts, including

New College Oxford, St John’s College, Cambridge, Kings’ College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey, St

Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City, Southwell and York Minsters and Durham, St. Pauls,

Winchester and Salisbury Cathedrals.

Andrew has also now established a pattern of a joint choirs concert (boys, girls, Abbey Singers and lay

clerks) some with orchestra and established vocal soloists in the alternate (even numbered) years from the

IOF years.



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Dr Barry Rose OBE, FRAM, Hon.FRCO, Hon.FGCM, M.Univ (Surrey) Master of the Music – 1988 to 1997

“Nine of the happiest and most musically rewarding years of my life” – that’s

how Barry Rose describes his tenure as Master of the Music. As he says, “all of

that fulfilment is due to the dedication and skill of the choir, my close working

relationship with Andrew Parnell, our talented organ scholars, and the

choristers’ parents. Life with the St. Albans choir was never dull, always

musical, often hilarious, and with a total commitment to the music they were

singing. I’m honoured to have had the opportunity to work with you all and to

be a small part of the Association”.

Barry retired on Christmas Day 1997 and has returned to St Albans Cathedral

on two occasions. First in 2011 for an organ recital entitled “1934 and all that” which featured music from

the year of his birth, and the second for a special Evensong in 2014 to celebrate his 80th birthday

attended by many guests from Guildford, St Paul’s and St Albans Cathedrals with over 70 singing with the

Cathedral Choir which Barry himself conducted.

Colin Walsh MA, FRCO, ARCM Master of the Music - 1985 to 1988

Colin Walsh is at the front of his generation of organists in England. He has

played many recitals in the UK including the Royal Festival Hall. He has also

played across Europe and Scandinavia, the Czech Republic, the USA and New

Zealand. His studies with Jean Langlais inspired him to specialise in French

modern music, in particular works by Franck, Vierne and Langlais.

His work as organist has always been connected with choral foundations: at St

George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, at

Salisbury Cathedral as Assistant Organist and at St Albans and at Lincoln

Cathedral as Organist and Master of the Choristers. Since January 2003 he has

been Organist Laureate of Lincoln Cathedral and plays regularly for the

Cathedral's services. He has served as a Council Member of the Royal College of Organists and has close

associations with the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Northern College of Music.

Dr Stephen Darlington MA (Oxon), DMus (Oxon), FRCO Master of the Music - 1978 to 1985

Stephen Darlington is one of the country’s leading choral conductors. He was

Organ Scholar at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford before becoming Assistant

Organist at Canterbury. Stephen then came to St Albans Cathedral where he

also directed the International Organ Festival. In 1985 he returned to Christ

Church as Organist and Tutor in Music. Since then he has divided his time

between establishing the college as a centre of academic musical excellence

and his duties at Christ Church Cathedral.

From 1998 to 2000, Stephen was President of the Royal College of Organists.

He is currently Choragus of the University of Oxford and is the holder of a

Lambeth Doctorate. In 2010, Stephen returned to St. Albans with the Christ Church Cathedral choir to

participate in the High Sherriff’s Three Choirs’ Concert.



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Honorary Members

Patricia Hurford MA (Cantab) Honorary Life Member

Pat Hurford was born and brought up in Cambridge but went to Oxford to study

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. However, much of her time there was

spent sailing and singing, including singing with a six-voice group in West

Germany, Spain and Denmark during the three summer vacations. Returning to

Cambridge to take a teaching diploma she sang in the Madrigal Society and the

Cambridge Singers, and thus met Peter.

Pat then taught at Blackheath High School and she and Peter were married

while he was doing his National Service in London. They came to St Albans on

Jan. 1st 1958, two years after being married, and here they have been ever

since.

During Peter`s 20 years as Master of the Music Pat brought up Heather, Michael and Richard and backed up

Peter in his very testing career. One of the most enjoyable bits of the latter was starting Ladies` Camp

(in the same field but at the other end from the boys` Camp) because in those days it was considered

unthinkable for there to be a mixed choir camp! Choir men`s wives and children came to Ladies` camp,

and in one summer the combined week-end numbers for Boys` and Ladies` camp was 68 people sleeping

under canvas.

Pat also taught part time at what was then the College of Further Education, and trained as a Relate

Counsellor.

When Peter became free-lance in 1978, Pat went to the Tavistock Institute for further training as a couple

therapist and eventually had a private practice, but also continued with Relate until she had completed 25

years of service.

Once the children had left home she was able to travel with Peter on recording and recital trips, and

enormously enjoyed being his registrant when he played large tracker-action organs: in those days the

organs in Sydney Opera House, Hong Kong Concert Hall, Ratzeburg Cathedral etc. all had minimal reliable

electronic aids so a registrant was kept very busy.

In 1989 Pat’s book, “Coping with Teenagers” was published by the National Marriage Guidance Council.

Since Peter`s retirement from professional life in 1998 Pat too has retired and is kept busy by nine

grandchildren, as well as many other pastimes.

David Ireson ARCM Honorary Life Member

Co-Founder of St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’ Association

David was born in Exeter but moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne where his father

was a canon at St Nicholas Cathedral - not quite born a Geordie, but fluent in

the language. He was a chorister at Newcastle under Kenneth Malcolmson who

had been an assistant at St Albans.

Educated at St John’s Leatherhead, he then trained as a teacher at the College

of St Mark and St John, Chelsea (quite the best place to be in the sixties). His

teaching career and his occupation of the choir stalls in St Albans Abbey

started in 1965. He officially retired in 2013.

He founded and directed the Fayrfax Consort for many years as well as the Hardynge Choir in Harpenden

and was Director of Musica Deo Sacra in Tewkesbury Abbey from 1978 until 2016.



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He sang in the Schutz Choir for Roger Norrington which was the basis of his addiction to the music of

Heinrich Schutz - for whom he still flies the flag with more than one choir. Some Proms with the

Monteverdi Choir were most memorable, especially singing in a performance of the Vespers in

Westminster Cathedral.

David became Head of Religious Studies at St Albans School in 1985 where, subsequently, he was Head of

Lower School (having many choristers under his not-quite-watchful-enough eye) and then Senior Master.

He retired after nearly twenty very happy years in 2004, staying on for a year or two to run the school

orchestra and go to on some enjoyable tours.

In 1985 David became the Music Director of the St Albans Chamber Opera and with whom he has

conducted a staged opera in the Abbey Theatre, St Albans almost every year since. A break occurred when

he conducted the first performance of the community opera 'Alban' in the Cathedral in May 2009 and the

first London performance in St Alban the Martyr, Holborn, in October 2011.

He currently sings with Vox Musica both in the UK and abroad and deputises at St Albans Cathedral.

Simon Johnson BA FRCO Assistant Master of the Music, Director of the Abbey Girls Choir, 2001 to 2008

Simon is the Organist & Assistant Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral,

where he presides over the five-manual Willis/Mander organ, one of the finest

musical instruments in the world.

“A brilliant and sensitive musician…achieving greatness through his calm

demeanour” (Gramophone), Simon’s work as a soloist, accompanist and choir

director makes him one of the most versatile church musicians working today

and this has led to a series of appointments.

He was Head Chorister of Peterborough Cathedral Choir and went on to hold

organ scholarships at Rochester, Norwich and St Paul’s Cathedrals, before

becoming Director of Music at All Saints’ Church, Northampton in 1998, and Assistant Master of Music and

Director of the Abbey Girls Choir at St Albans Cathedral in 2001. He took up his present position in

September 2008.

Simon’s work has taken him to France, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Holland, Italy & the USA and has been

broadcast live on BBC television and radio. His recordings have attracted widespread critical acclaim and

he has also worked as soloist and continuo player with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal

Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, City of London Sinfonia, London Baroque and The

Cardinall’s Musick.

In 2008 he gave a performance of Messiaen’s La Nativité as part of the composer’s centenary celebrations

by the Southbank Centre and also premiered Guy Bovet’s Dick Whittington. In 2009 he gave two concerts

as part of the reopening celebrations of the Harrison & Harrison organ in St Albans Cathedral. In addition

to the daily round of services at St Paul’s, he also plays for all the important national services and events

that take place there and directed the music at the service commemorating the withdrawal of British

armed forces from Iraq, which was broadcast live on BBC 1 in 2009. In 2010 he arranged Prokofiev’s Peter

and the Wolf for organ and, together with comedian Jo Brand, performed it in the Cathedral to an

audience of thousands.

Simon has made a DVD about the St Paul’s organ in which one can “appreciate Johnson’s musical

sensitivity, and deceptively easy fluency in even the most hair-raising of repertoire” (Choir and Organ); “a

remarkable demonstration of what is achievable on a DVD recording of an organ concert. The playing

sparkles throughout” (International Record Review), “spine-tinglingly sublime” (Gramophone).



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Simon Preston CBE Born on 4th August 1938 in Bournemouth, England, Simon Preston is one of the

great organists of the 20th century and also one of the most illustrious

musicians in the history of English Cathedral Music. As a soloist and choral

director, he has appeared with many of the world's leading orchestras, and his

recordings have won universal acclaim. His work with the choirs of Christ

Church Oxford and Westminster Abbey set standards of excellence which are

regarded as points of reference. Simon was a chorister at King's College,

Cambridge for three years and when an unexpected organ scholarship became

available he applied and was successful, spending the best part of five years

there working with the Organist and Director of Music, Sir David Willcocks.

At this time Simon Preston's recording career began with the release of a

record of music by Orlando Gibbons. His recording career continued when he moved to Westminster Abbey

as sub-organist in 1962, a post he held until 1967.

After leaving Westminster Abbey, Simon acted as Master of the Music at St. Albans Cathedral for one year

and at the same time gave recitals throughout Europe and North America. In 1970 he became Organist and

Tutor in Music at Christ Church Oxford where his work with the choir won great praise.

He was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey in 1981, where again his

work with the Abbey Choir received great praise.

In addition, he directed the music at the Royal Wedding in 1986 and was also responsible for composing

much of "Salieri's music" in the film Amadeus. Since 1987, when he resigned his post at Westminster

Abbey, Simon Preston has continued to pursue an active career as an organist and conductor.

Already an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), Preston was promoted Commander of the

Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.

Dr. Simon Lindley D. Univ, FRCO(CHM), FTCL, FRSCM Assistant Master of the Music, 1970 to 1975

Born in London, Simon Lindley was educated at Magdalen College School,

Oxford and the Royal College of Music. He was Assistant Organist of St Albans

Cathedral and Director of Music to St Albans School from 1970 to 1975, and also

served for some time as Deputy Organist at Westminster Cathedral and

accompanist to the BBC Chorus.

As Master of the Music at Leeds Minster until he retired on 3rd September 2016

Simon combined his work with that of Leeds City Organist at the famous Leeds

Town Hall - recordings and broadcasts have established his reputation as a

player of distinctive style.

In addition to his solo playing, he is widely regarded as one of Britain's leading exponents of the neglected

arts of organ accompaniment and continuo playing. Simon holds an impressive array of honours and

awards, including:

Fellow of Trinity College of Music (FTCL), Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM), Associate of

the Royal College of Music (ARCM), Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, Fellow of the Royal

College of Organists, Choirmaster’s Diploma (FRCO CHM), Graduate of the Royal Schools of Music, London,

Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music (FRSCM) Honorary Doctorate, Leeds Metropolitan University,

Honorary Fellowship, Leeds College of Music, Guild of Church Musicians, Honorary Fellowship Guild of

Musicians and Singers and Freedom of the City of London.

Simon returned to St Albans in 2010 to participate in the first concert of the Ex-Choristers’ Association

who were celebrating the 80th birthdays of Peter and Pat Hurford. Simon played Peter’s Laudate Dominum

Suite. He returned again in September 2013 as guest speaker at the annual festival of the Federation of

Cathedral old Choristers’ Associations.



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Andrew Parnell MA (Cantab), FRCO, FISM Assistant Master of the Music, Director of the Abbey Girls Choir

From 1976 to 2001, Andrew Parnell was Assistant Master of the Music at the

Abbey and provided continuity and support for Peter Hurford, John Clough,

Stephen Darlington, Colin Walsh, Barry Rose and Andrew Lucas, and was

accompanist for the choir’s services, concerts, tours, broadcasts and

recordings.

In 1996, he founded the Abbey Girls Choir and has witnessed its development

under Simon Johnson and Tom Winpenny. He was also Director of Music at St

Albans School and Conductor of the St Albans Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2001 he has pursued a freelance career as an organist, composer, and

conductor and has continued to retain strong links with cathedral music. He has worked as Acting

Assistant Organist in 9 cathedrals and has joined the staff at Ely Cathedral as Assistant Director of its

Octagon Singers. Andrew continues to work as accompanist or soloist in the UK and abroad and has

appeared in venues from Norwich to Newcastle, and from Cambridge to Cologne. He directs Ely Choral

Society and Ely Youth Choir, as well as Wymondham Symphony Orchestra.

His compositions, sacred and secular, have been performed in cathedrals and churches both in the UK and

abroad, from St Paul's Cathedral to St Petersburg, and from Portsmouth to Poland.

Andrew has enjoyed many opportunities to return to the Abbey, conducting the first Former Choristers’

Association concert, accompanying in the second, and playing for Exquire in its first Abbey Sung Eucharist.

It was also a delight to witness the 20th anniversary of the Abbey Girls Choir when present and former

choristers were heard together, making a splendid combined sound!

Tom Winpenny MA (Cantab) FRCO Assistant Master of the Music, Director of the Abbey Girls Choir

Tom Winpenny is Assistant Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral where his

duties include accompanying the daily choral services and directing the

acclaimed Abbey Girls Choir. Previously, he was Sub-Organist at St Paul's

Cathedral, and during this time he performed with the Cathedral Choir at the

American Guild of Organists National Convention, performed in Mahler's

Symphony no. 8 with Valery Gergiev and the LSO, and played for many great

state occasions. He has also broadcast regularly on BBC Radio and been

featured on American Public Media's Pipedreams.

He was Organ Scholar at King's College, Cambridge, graduating with a music

degree and twice accompanying the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols,

broadcast worldwide. He studied with John Scott Whiteley, Alastair Sampson, Thomas Trotter and

Johannes Geffert, and won First Prize and the Audience Prize at the 2008 Miami International Organ

Competition.

He is an organ tutor to the Eton Choral Courses, and has taken part in the first performance of works by

Judith Weir, Cecilia McDowall, Judith Bingham, Jonathan Dove, Francis Grier, Paul Mealor, Alec Roth and

Francis Pott.

Recent and forthcoming engagements include recitals in Birmingham Town Hall, Norwich Cathedral,

Kristiansand Cathedral (Norway) and St Paul’s, K Street, Washington DC. He has also appeared as organ

soloist in John Rutter’s Christmas Celebration concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. His solo organ recordings

include a recital on the organ of St Albans Cathedral (JAV Recordings), organ works by Judith Bingham

(Naxos), music by Malcolm Williamson (Toccata Classics) and works by Stanford, Lennox & Michael

Berkeley and John McCabe (Resonus Classics). Following his well-received recording of Messiaen’s La



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Nativité du Seigneur, a recording of Messiaen’s L’Ascension has recently been released by Naxos. He also

directs St Albans Abbey Girls Choir in recordings of Mendelssohn and of William Mathias, both for Naxos.

Rosalind de Rivaz Co-Founder of St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’ Association

&

Anthony de Rivaz Former Alto Lay Clerk & Choir Camp Master

Tony started his musical career as a chorister at Christchurch

Cathedral, Oxford in the 1960s under Sidney Watson. After an

illustrious musical career at school, Tony went up to St John’s College

Cambridge as a choral scholar under George Guest. This was followed

by four years as a Lay-clerk at Worcester Cathedral under Donald

Hunt and was where he met Ros

Tony and Ros have lived in St Albans for over 30 years. Tony joined

the Cathedral Choir in the early 1980s when Stephen Darlington was

in charge and sang with the choir for over 20 years until retiring in 2006.

In 2002 Tony and Ros took over the running of choir camp which they continued to do until its 50th

Anniversary in 2008. They have 4 children of whom the youngest, Freddy, was a chorister at the Abbey

from 1999 until 2006.

Over the years Tony has sung in various local choirs including Fayrfax Consort, Brocket Consort, Carillon

and now sings with Mosaic.

Tony has now transferred to the Bass line and continues to sing with Mosaic and once again deputizes at

the Abbey from time to time.

Moira Dean MA (Oxon) Co-Founder of St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’ Association

Moira Dean was born and brought up in St Albans, and attended St Albans High

School for Girls.

She first experienced the English choral tradition as one of the original girl

choristers at St Paul’s Church, St Albans in the 1970s. She progressed through

the RSCM training scheme and received a Bishop's Chorister Award. Studying for

Music ‘A’ level proved that attempting music at degree level was not an option

so she went up to St Hugh’s College Oxford to read Classics instead.

There she sang in several chapel and chamber choirs and decided to follow a

career in arts administration.

Moira worked for 18 years for Youth & Music, a music and education charity, aimed at introducing the arts

to young people with a programme of special ticket offers and related workshop events.

Paul and Moira were married in the Lady Chapel in 1984. They moved back from London to St Albans in

1991 with one-year-old Zoe and joined the Abbey congregation. John was born a year later and thence

grew a chorister twinkle in his mother’s eye. Voluntary work with the Cathedral Music Trust became paid

freelance work covering administration, fund-raising and concert management.

In 2001, shortly after John’s admission as a chorister, Moira was appointed PA to Dean Christopher Lewis

and also undertook administrative work for the Music Department. She experienced a 360-degree view of

musical life at the Abbey as Music Dept Secretary, Music Trust assistant and choir parent. (John’s voice

broke in October 2006 just as the Cathedral Choir set off on their USA tour, so he took part as Miggi

Sharp’s robes assistant and page-turner to Mr Johnson, rather than as the Deputy Head Chorister he then

was).



12

Moira was PA to Dean Jeffrey John until 2013 when she moved to St Peter’s Church, St Albans as Church

Manager. She has been appointed a Trustee of the Cathedral Music Trust and continues to be a committed

member of the ECA Management Committee.

In her ‘spare time’ Moira enjoys the opera, theatre and concerts, experimenting with food and wine,

reading and travel.

Christine Blackie MSc Co-Founder of St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers’ Association

Christine Blackie and her family have been involved in the life of the Abbey

since 1999. Her son Tom was Head Chorister (2004–5) and her daughter Harriet

is a Guider with the 29th St Albans (Abbey) Brownies.

Christine studied music at school where she learned the cello and can now play

Irish jigs on the recorder; a somewhat dubious testimony to a time when free

musical provision in schools was in abundance. Her commitment to the musical

life of the Abbey is rooted in a strong belief that music can educate, involve,

inform and excite everyone at different times in their lives and should be

accessible to all.

“The lack of an Ex-Choristers Association seemed a glaring omission for a Cathedral with such a unique

musical heritage and it has been very exciting to see the ECA go from strength to strength due to the hard

work and commitment of former choristers.”

Christine’s early career was in Human Relations with Whitbread PLC and BUPA, since when she has studied

and worked independently as a Career Consultant with an interest in careers research.

Choral music remains an important part of her life and she continues to support music at the Cathedral as

a Patron of the Cathedral Music Trust.



13

Former Cathedral Choristers – Trebles

A

Mark Adams, Stowmarket, Suffolk 1972 to 1979 (Woollam Scholar & Star Chorister)

Philip Allen, St. Albans 1973 to 1979 (Woollam Scholar & Star Chorister)

Edward Andrews-Hodgson, York 1975 to 1982 (Woollam Scholar)

William Andrews, New South Wales, Australia 1977 to 1983 (Woollam Scholar)

John Archer, Southwark, London 1979 to 1984

Rod Argent, Petersfield, Hampshire 1956 to 1959 (Woollam Scholar), Alto 1959 to 1962

Roy Argent c1948

Michael Artis, St. Albans

Tony Asquith 1937 to 1942

Laurence Attewill, Oxford c1950s

Peter Ayre, Norfolk 1938 to 1943

B

Oliver Bahrami, St. Albans 1994 to 2001 (Woollam Scholar & Pilling Scholar)

Daniel Bahrami-Jenkins, St. Albans (Head Chorister)

John Baines 1984 to 1987

Alan Baker c1965

Michael Ballard, Watford c1944 to1950

Euan Balmer, St Albans c1987

James Banks c1976

Lindsay Barber c1960 to 1965

Paolo Baroni, St. Albans 1985 to 1991

Marco Baroni, St. Albans 1989 to 1995 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Robert Barningham c1945

John Bartlett, Crouch End, London 1947 to 1950

Ian Bartrup c1958

John R. Bate MA BMus FRCO GTCL Hon. FTCL Richmond, Surrey

1944 to 1952 (Woollam Scholar & Deputy Head Chorister)

John Bate was a chorister at St Albans Cathedral and a Scholar and Professor of Trinity

College of Music. He has directed a wide variety of performing groups, including Thames

Festival Orchestra and has given many concerts in London and elsewhere in the UK. He

has chorus-mastered the Philharmonia Chorus, the Royal Choral Society and the All-

London 1977 Silver Jubilee Choir.

From 1978 to 2001 he was Director of Music Performance at Kingston University, when

Kingston music became famous throughout the academic world, personally directing the

orchestras and choirs in many events and venues throughout the UK and in Germany and

China.

Besides choral music, his repertoire embraces opera and orchestral works of many

periods, and he is well known for his work with both choirs and orchestras.

Graham Bateman c1940

Tom Bateman, St. Albans 1997 to 2003

Alfie Bates, St. Albans 2003 to 2009

Anthony Bax, Connecticut, USA 1967 to 1970

Hugo Beardsall, St. Albans 2001 to 2007

William Berrington, St. Albans 2002 to 2007

R Bigg c1941



14

Martin Biggin, St. Albans

Andrew Birch 1965 to 1969

David Bird, Suffolk 1944 to 1948 (Woollam Scholar)

Tom Blackie BA (Cantab), St. Albans 1999 to 2004 (Head Chorister)

Michael Blackburn, Te Puke, New Zealand c1939 to 1945

Michael Blight c1958

Ian Blythe c1960 to 1965 (Head Chorister)

Martin Booth, Radlett, Herts 1980 to 1984

Philip Booth c1956

Peter Breakspear c1954

Richard Briggs c1954

J Bristow c1942

John Brittin c1947 to 1948

Richard Brittin c1948

Revd David Broad, Hampshire 1970 to 1975

James Brooks c1930s

John Brooks c1930s

Leonard Brooks c1930s

I (Ian) Brown c1943

W Brown c1946

Alan Bryant c1959 to 1961

William (Bill) Buck, Nelson, New Zealand c1942

Jonathan Bunster 1965 to 1969

Tim Byrom, St. Albans 2002 to 2009

C

Andrew Cannell c1954 to 1961

Nicholas (Nick) Cannell c1954

Richard Cannell c1954

Samuel Caton, St. Albans 2003 to 2008

Christopher Chapman MA (Cantab), London 1953 to 1954

Wesley Chard, St. Albans 2007 to 2010

Sebastian Chevalott c1991

Jeremy Clark c1977

Nicholas Clark, Florida, USA 1970 to 1972 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Andrew Cleary BA FRSA, West Sussex 1982 to 1985 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Richard Cleary, Solihull, West Midlands 1978 to 1985

Robert Cleary, London 1979 to 1986

Roger Clifford 1940 to 1945 (Head Chorister)

John (Jack) Clifford 1940 to 1944

Nicholas Coleman, London 1979 to 1983 (Woollam Scholar)

Andrew Coles c1970s

R Coleridge c1956

David Collinge c1940s

Dr. Ben Collingwood, Exeter, Devon 1986 to 1990

Christopher Collins, Hatfield, Herts 1991 to 1996

Daniel Collins, Letchworth, Herts 2009 to 2011

Richard Collinson c1956

Andrew Coney c1977



15

Dr. George Corbett PhD (Cantab) M-Phil. c1991

Dr. George Corbett is Lecturer in Theology, Imagination and the Arts. He was a chorister

at St Albans Cathedral and sang with Barry Rose. He trained as a musician at Chetham’s

School of Music, and then read English literature (B.A.), European literature and culture

(M.Phil.), and wrote a doctorate on Dante (Ph.D.) at the University of Cambridge. He

also studied at the University of Pisa (Scuola Normale Superiore) and in Rome. Prior to

his appointment at St Andrews, he was a Junior Research Fellow at Trinity College,

Cambridge.

Dr. Corbett specialises in the theology and art of the medieval period, with a particular

focus on Dante. He is the author of “Dante and Epicurus: A Dualistic Vision of Secular

and Spiritual Fulfilment” and is currently working on a second book, “Dante’s Christian

Ethics”. He is the co-editor of Vertical Readings in Dante’s Comedy, an interdisciplinary

collaboration by thirty-four scholars on an innovative reappraisal of the whole poem. He is also interested in Aquinas’s

systematic theology and its enduring influence.

John Cosgrove c1947

David Cox, St. Albans c1991 (Woollam Scholar)

Jonathan Cox, Wantage, Oxfordshire 1984 to 1990

James Cozens, St. Albans 1935 to 1942

Malcolm Craddock c1960s

Trevor Craddock RVM (Silver), Windsor, Berks c1950s

Nicholas Crawley MA, London 1987 to 1993 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Tim Crawley, Leeds c1991

Ian Craze c1950s

Christopher Cutts, Newport Pagnall, Bucks 1962 to 1965 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

D

Howard Dalziel, St. Albans 1981 to 1984

John Dalziel, Middleton, Manchester 1979 to 1984

David Daniels c1958

Dr. Benjamin Davies, Spain 1969 to 1974 (Woollam Scholar)

Hugh Davies, San Rafael, California, USA 1964 to 1966 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

John Davis c1940s

Andrew Daykin c1962

Freddy de Rivaz, St. Albans 1999 to 2006

John de Smet, Houghton Regis, Beds 1973 to 1977

Tony Deamer, Bray, Windsor 1946 to 1959

John Dean, St. Albans 2001 to 2006 (Stocker Chorister)

Alan Dearlove c1965

Edwin Dearlove c1960s

Malcolm Desborough c1961

Alexis Dolling, St. Albans

Simon Dolling, St. Albans

William Drake, St Albans 2008 to 2010

E

Andrew Eames, Luton, Beds 1968 to 1973 (Woollam Scholar)

Simon Eames, Chesham Bois, Bucks 1967 to 1971 (Woollam Scholar)

Orlando Edwards 1983 to 1988

Barnabas Elbourn, St. Albans 2008 to 2014 (Guy Whalley & Alban Head Chorister)

Joseph Elbourn, St. Albans 2007 to 2011 (Lammas & Deputy Head Chorister)

Tom Evans, New York, USA 1965 to 1970



16

F

Dominic Feilding c1985

James (Jim) Finch c1942

Alan Fitzjohn c1942

Robert Fitzsimmons, St. Albans 1947 to 1952 (Woollam Scholar)

David Forrester, St. Albans

Allan Foster, Rugby, Warwickshire c1964

Harry Foster c1944

Thomas Foxton, St. Albans left 2008

William Foxton, St Albans 2009 to 2011

Andrew Freeman, St. Albans 1962 to 1970 (Woollam Scholar)

Christopher Freeman, Rugby, Warwickshire 1959 to 1964 (Woollam Scholar)

Revd Martin Freeman, London 1964 to 1969 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Michael Freeman, Aberystwyth, Wales 1959 to 1964 (Woollam Scholar)

Alexander French, St. Albans

Thomas French, London left 1991 (Woollam Scholar)

William French, Southampton

Revd David Frith, Wolverhampton, West Midlands c1972 to 1978

G

Peter Garside, St. Albans 1998 to 2001

Simon George, London 1965 to 1971

Nicolas Gibbon, London 1964 to 1969 (ECA Committee Member)

Douglas Gibson, St. Albans

Alan Godfrey, Welwyn Garden City, Herts 1944 to 1949 (Woollam Scholar), Alto 1949 to 1950

Anthony Godfrey 1948 to 1950

Peter G. J. Goodman 1966 to 1968

Alan Gordon 1958 to 1962

John Gordon c1953

Adrian Gotch, Beds c1970s

Jonathan Gotch, Beds c1985

Michael Gough Queensland, Australia

1958 to 1964 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister), Alto 1964 to 1967, Bass 1967

Michael was a chorister at St Albans Cathedral Choir where the organ legend Peter

Hurford was Master of the Music. At University, Michael sang as a soloist with the Bristol

University Operatic Society, and conducted and sang in the Bristol University Music

Society choir. During his early professional career as an engineer, Michael also sang in

various choirs in London, Berlin and Bremen.

Arriving in Melbourne in 1980, Michael joined the Victoria State Opera as a chorus member and occasional Minor Principal. He sang with the Australian Opera and later Opera Australia. He performed as a soloist with many Melbourne and Victorian Country choirs. Michael’s repertoire includes works by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Faure, Haydn and Monteverdi. In 2008 he and his family started a new life on the Sunshine Coast. He is a member of the

Noosa Chorale and has been a soloist with both the Chorale and the SCCS. In 2011 Michael was appointed organist for

one of the Sunday services at St Marks Anglican Church, Buderim.

G Green c1946

P Green c1946

Roger Grimes c1954 to 1958

Ben Grover, St. Albans

Michael Gunton, Bristol 1968 to 1971



17

Stephen Guy, Camberley, Surrey 1968 to 1975 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

H

Giles Hall, Cowbridge, Wales 1966 to 1970 (Woollam Scholar)

Rory Hall, Chandlers Cross, Herts left 2015 (Berryman Chorister)

David Hammond, Ely, Cambs. 1969 to 1974

Roland Harding c1958

William Hare, Kentish Town, London 1993 to 1999 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister), Bass 2002 to 2003

Jonathan Hart c1957

Alfred Hatton c1930s

Brian Hawes c1942

Derek Hawthorne c1940

Michael Head c2001

James (Jim) Heading, Derbyshire 1948 to 1951

Ian Henry, Spain 1967 to 1975 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Dr. Chris Herbert, Skipton, North Yorkshire 1986 to 1991 (Woollam Scholar)

Tim Herbert, St. Albans 1988 to 1994

Charles Hibbert, St. Albans

Keith Hill, North London 1972 to 1977 (Woollam Scholar)

Douglas Hobbs c1945

Martin Holt c1984

David Hopkins, St. Albans c1951

William Houghton, St. Albans 1993 to 2000

Christopher Howarth, Abbots Langley, Herts 2000 to 2007 (Hunt Chorister)

Jeremy Howarth, Abbots Langley, Herts 2003 to 2009

Martin Hudson c1958

Owen Hughes, St. Albans 1992 to 1997

Piers Hughes c1990

Fraser Hulbert, St. Albans 2005 to 2009

Nigel Hunt, Kingston Blount, Oxfordshire 1964 to 1967

Michael Hurford MA (Cantab), London 1967 to 1972 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Richard Hurford, London 1970 to 1974 (Woollam Scholar)

I

Geoffrey Ingledew c1953 to 1956

Dennis Ireland c1950

John Ireson, Bolton, Lancs 1960 to 1962

J

Simon Jackson 1986 to 1991

Peter James c1991 (Woollam Scholar)

David Jameson, Perth, Australia 1973 to 1976 (Woollam Scholar)

Mark Jameson, Tottenham, London 1971

Trevor Jarvis BA ARSCM FNMSM, Salisbury, Wiltshire 1957 to 1961 (ECA Committee Member)

Alfred Jeffries c1940

Peter Jeffs, Guiseley, Leeds 1959 to 1964 (Woollam Scholar & ECA Committee Member)

Alexander (‘Fred’) Jenkins, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Head Chorister)

Thomas Johnson, St. Albans left 2015 (Wixamtree Chorister)

Alex Johnston, St. Albans 1997 to 2003

Revd Mark Jones, Kings Lynn, Norfolk 1964 to 1970 (Woollam Scholar, Head Chorister)

Neville Jones c1946

Stephen Jones c1960s



18

K

Paul Kell, Wimbledon, London 1972 to 1978 (Woollam Scholar)

John Kelly 1932 to 1933

Donald Kiff c1939

Callum Kilby, St. Albans 2000 to 2006

Thomas King c1991 to 1992 (Woollam Scholar)

Peter Knapp MA (Cantab), Brighton, Sussex 1958 to 1961, Bass 1963 to 1970

Jonathan Knight MA, MA (Cantab), St. Albans 1992 to 1999 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister), Tenor 2003 to 2004

Trevor Knight c1944

Eric Kocharyan, St Albans left 2015 (Hunt Chorister)

Richard Kynaston, St. Albans

L

Christopher Ladkin, Bristol 1965 to 1970 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Samuel Lake, Gloucester left 2007 (Hurford Chorister)

James Leadbeater, St. Albans 2005 to 2011 (Head Chorister)

Anthony Leggatt, Inverness, Scotland 1977 to 1984

Alexander Lewis BA, Sydney, Australia c1992

Dominic Lewis-Barclay, Worcester 1969 to 1974 (Woollam Scholar)

Oliver Lewis-Barclay, Sussex c1970s (Woollam Scholar)

David Lifely, St. Albans 2004 to 2007

Richard Lilley, Markyate, Herts 1979 to 1984 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Dennis Lingwood c1940 to 1944

Dominic Lowth, St. Albans 2006 to 2012 (Laing Chorister & Alban Head Chorister)

Rory Lumsdon, London 1984 to 1990 (Woollams Scholar & Head Chorister)

Laurence Lyndon-Jones M Math ATCL, St. Albans 1994 to 2002 (Woollam Scholar, Laing Chorister & Head Chorister)

M

Jeremy Maddison, London

Michael Maddison c1955

Dr. Peter Maddison, Colwyn Bay, Wales c1955

Dr. Paul Mainwood D.Phil (Oxon), London c1992

Christopher Martin c1964

Oliver Martin-Smith, St. Albans c1999 to 2008 (Head Chorister)

Ben Mason, Forest Hill, London 1989 to 1994

Marc Mastrangelo, St. Albans c1970s

Finlay Matterson c2004 to 2005

Oliver Matthews, St. Albans 2006 to 2010 (Leathersellers)

Nicholas May 1966 to 1971

Rowan Mcdonald, St. Albans 1990 to 1997 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Augustine (‘Gus’) McMahon, St. Albans left 2015

Ben McNaught, London c1987

Gregor McQuade, St. Albans 2002 to 2007

John McVeigh, Lamplugh, Cumbria c2001 to 2005

Jeremy Meager LRSM ARCO, Fritwell, Oxfordshire 1974 to 1980 (Woollam Scholar)

Simon Meager, North Watford, Herts 1974 to 1980 (Woollam Scholar)

Michael Medina, St. Albans c1950s (Head Chorister)

A Metcalfe c1946

Michael Milbourn, Hertingfordbury, Herts 1958 to 1962 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

William Minting c1982 to 1984 (Head Chorister)

Nicholas Mitchell c1971



19

A Moody c1951

G K L S Moody c1951

Michael Moreton, St. Albans c1932 to 1933

Simon Morley, St. Albans 1987 to 1991

Dr. Jago Morrison, Uxbridge, Middlesex 1977 to1980

Bernard Moseley, High Wycombe, Bucks 1942 to 1945

Geoffrey Moxham, York c1930s to 1940s

N

Roderick Neilsen c1964

Nigel Nethersole, Cornwall 1962 to 1966 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Mike Newell, London c1956

Alec Newton, St. Albans 2007 to 2011

Robert Northcote c1996 to 2001

O

Luke O’Reilly, St. Albans 1997 to 1998

James O’Sullivan, St. Albans 2002 to 2007

Harry Oliver, Hockliffe, Beds 1956 to 1959

Philip Orihashi c1940s

P

Raymond Pardon c1941

Graham Parkhouse, St. Albans 1993 to 1997

Tom Parnell, Manchester 1989 to 1994, Bass 2001 to 2002

Benjamin (Ben) Parnell, Middx 1990 to 1995

David Mark Parry c1971

Jeremy Parry c1970s

Rhodri Pazzi-Axworthy, St. Albans 1973 to 1979 (Woollam Chorister & Star Scholar)

Thomas (‘Tom’) Pazzi-Axworthy, St. Albans 2010 to 2015 (Edward Griffiths)

Andrew Pegg, Weymouth, Dorset 1967 to 1972

Simon Pegg, Bristol (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Timothy Pegg, Fleet, Hampshire c1971

Dr. Nick Pepin PhD BSc, Portsmouth 1977 to 1979

Tom Pepin, Alston, Cumbria 1979 to 1986

John Petit, West Sussex 1940 to 1945

Anthony Pratt c1951

Christopher Price, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Steele)

Howard Price c1987

Jerome Price c1987

Tony Pritchard c1940

R

David Radcliffe, Basingstoke, Hants 1960 to 1966 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

David Ranger, Welwyn Garden City, Herts 1948 to 1952

Peter Redmayne, Durham c1999 to 2005

Paul Rendell, Ashstead, Surrey c1982

Michael Rhineberg c1962

Douglas Ridpeath c1946

Aubrey Roberts c1956

Michael Robson, Westoning, Beds c1977

Thomas Roe c1980s

Calum Roscow, London



20

Jacob Ross, St. Albans 1994 to 2000, Tenor 2003 to 2004

Ted Rutter c1930s to 1940s

Edward Rycroft, St. Albans c1999

S

Tom Salisbury, St. Albans 1993 to 1999

Christopher Saunders, St. Albans

Jack Savidge, Hatfield, Herts 1993 to 1998

J Savigear c1948

Revd James Sawyer, Hitchin, Herts 1973 to 1978

Keith Sedgebeer, Wolverhampton c1958 to 1960

Jack Semple, St. Albans 1995 to 2001

Dr. Tom Semple, London 1992 to 1999 (Woollam Scholar)

Ivor Setterfield BA (Hons) London

1976 to 1979 (Woollam Scholar)

Ivor sang at St Albans Cathedral under Peter Hurford and Stephen Darlington, often

featuring as a soloist. He studied at the University of York, graduating with a BA (Hons) in

Music in 1998. He continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal

College of Music, first on the opera course and then the conducting course. He followed

the conducting course with an Opera Conducting Scholarship at the London Royal

Schools’ Vocal Faculty. He completed his studies with a master class with Ilya Musin, and

Valery Gergiev in Sienna.

Ivor is the founder and Music Director of the Trafalgar Sinfonia (formerly New London

Soloists Orchestra). He also directs the New London Singers and Barts Choir. Ivor has

conducted many leading orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the

Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Orchestra, the Hanover Band and the City of London Sinfonia performing both orchestral and choral repertoire.

Ivor has conducted in venues across Europe and he regularly performs at major London venues including the Royal

Albert Hall and the South Bank. Highlights include performances of Verdi Requiem, Mahler Symphony No. 2, Prokofiev

‘Alexander Nevsky’ and Beethoven Symphony No 9 all at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,

Beethoven Eroica Symphony with Tippett ‘A Child of Our Time’ at the Royal Festival Hall, and Beethoven Symphony No

5 at the Barbican Hall. In 2011 Ivor returned to the Royal Albert Hall to conduct the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and

four choirs in a thrilling performance of Mahler Symphony No 8 ‘Symphony of a Thousand’.

He continues to appear on the concert platform as a countertenor including the role of Didymus in Handel’s oratorio

‘Theodora’ for the St Martin-in-the-Fields Handel Festival.

In 2006 Ivor appeared in his own TV documentary series on Channel Five, ‘The Singing Estate’, which was nominated for

the prestigious Rose d’Or award, and in 2008 he appeared in the BBC 2 TV programme Maestro as mentor to DJ Goldie.

In 2009 Ivor again mentored Goldie this time as he composed a classical piece on the theme of Evolution for the Family

Prom and this composition journey was shown on BBC2. Other TV appearances include 10 Best Choral Masterpieces on

BBC4, Richard & Judy, The Wright Show on Five and the BBC One Show.

Chris Sharp, St. Albans

Dylan Sharpe 1992 to 1997 (Woollam Scholar)

Keith Shipley c1943

Caspar Singh, Kings Langley, Herts 2006 to 2010 (Hurford & Alban Head Chorister)

Bradley Smith, Radlett, Herts 1996 to 2003 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister) Tenor 2003 to 2007

G Smith c1946

Jacob Smith, St. Albans 2009 to 2010

Martin Smith, London

Philip Sowley, London 1963 to 1966

Brian Spense c1940 (Head Chorister)

Christopher Springham, London c1965



21

Julian Stace, London Colney, Herts 1961 to 1965

Robert Staten, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire 1968 to 1972

John Stevenson c1954 to 1958

Graham Stewart c1958

William Stone c1992

George Stuchberry c1940s

Andrew Stuttard c1965

Christopher Stuttard c1965

Daniel Sumner, Tonbridge, Kent 1988 to 1992

Roger Swithinbank c1946

T

Noel Tappenden, Ashford, Kent c1940s to 1950s

Matthew (‘Matt’) Taylor, St. Albans 1980 to 1985 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Toby Taylor, St. Albans 2003 to 2009

Ross Thayne, St. Albans 1946 to 1949 (Woollam Scholar)

Ian Thayne, Christchurch, Dorset 1972 to 1976

Michael Thayne, Milton Keynes 1972 to 1976

Mark Thomas, Westbury, Bucks 1972 to 1979 (Woollam Scholar)

Paul Thomas, Acton, London c1970s

Robin Thompson c1965

Anthony Thompson c1977

Julian Thorn c1965

John Thornecroft c1948 to 1950

Joseph Thornton, Portslade, East Sussex 1986 to 1991 (Head Chorister)

George Throup, St. Albans 2009 to 2015 (Hurford Chorister)

Alan Thrussell, St. Albans 1928 to 1935

Anthony Thwaites c1971

Andrew Tilbrook, Harpenden, Herts

David Tilbrook, Oxford 1977 to 1981

Jonathan Tilbrook, London 1976 to 1980 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

Keith Tizard c1950

John Tournay, Dunstable, Beds 1943 to 1950 (Woollam Scholar), Alto to 1969

Julian Trevelyan LRSM, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Hurford Chorister)

Simon Trott, Bedford 1967 to 1972 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)

V

Malcolm Vickers c1940

W

Richard Walker, Hertfordshire 1978 to 1983

Michael Wallace c1958

Peter Wallace c1956

Dr. Peter Ward, Dunstable, Beds 1946 to 1951

J Watson c1950

Richard Weait c1940s to 1950s

Adrian Weatherhead c1955

James Welch, St. Albans 1997 to 2003

Stephen Welch, Wales 1960s

William Welch, St. Albans 1999 to 2006

Richard West BA LRSM LGSM PgCMT, Loughborough 1984 to 1990 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister), Tenor 2002 to 2005

Jeremy Wheatley, Twickenham, Middx 1977 to 1983 (Woollam Scholar & Head Chorister)



22

Martin White c1968

Jeremy Whiting c1987

Michael Williams c1950

Anthony Wilsmore c1949

Andrew John Wilson 1965 to 1972 (Head Chorister)

Tom Wilson c1940s

Anthony Winter, Sussex c1958

Paul Winter c1955

Mark Woodbridge c1970s

Alistair Woods, Warminster, Wiltshire 1967 to 1972

Clive Woods c1951

Ian Woods, St. Albans 1954 to 1958, Alto 1959 to 1960, Bass 1960 to 1975

Nigel Woods, St. Albans c1954

Y

Richard Yeoman-Clark, Shropshire 1955 to 1959

Matthew York, Harpenden, Herts 1998 to 2001

E&OE



23

Note:

Names and information below is solely that which appears in the Associations’ records. We should be grateful for any

additional information, specifically location, dates of service and scholarships as appropriate.

Allen c1945

?Allcock c1944

Nicholas Argent

Robert Atkinson

John Atkins circa 1942;

Anthony Attwell/Tony Attewill c1950

?Baker c1942

?Barratt c1963

?Barrett c1942

?Birch c1941

?Butler c1954

Andrew Day

Tim Day

Dean-Hinton c1951

?Edwards c1953

David Easter

Leonard Farmer

?Fitzgerald

?Folds

?Goddard 1 & 2

Barnaby Gordon

Green c1942

Simon Groom

?Hall c1951

?Havingdon c1945

?Hawes c1965

?Heggell c1941

Peter Holt

?Humphrey

Simon Hornfield

Simon Horneygold

Griffith Hughes

Ernie Kirby

John Knight

?Lawes c1942

?Marsh

?Morley c1941

?Nightingale

James Nissen

?Piggott c1943

?Pinder c1945

Timothy Proctor

?Randall c1944

Robson c1945

Simon Roome

?Roy (1 & 2) c1951

Cyril Rylatt

?Semour c1943

?Shead c1941

Robert (Rob) Smith

?Smith c1954

?Spencer c1942

?Sturman c1951

J. Sutherland

Norry Taylor

Thackray c1945

?Waldron c1946

Ronald (‘Bomber’) Wells

Roy Wilson

?Whitby

?James c1941

Ron Jeffs

Simon Jones

Eddie Johnson

?Juggins c1943



24

Former Abbey Girl Choristers

A

Dr. Emma Adlard PhD B.Mus (Hons) MSt, Cambridge 1998 to 2001

Katherine Adlard, St. Albans 1996 to 1998 (Lewis-Barclay & Head Chorister)

Emily Almond, St. Albans 2006 to 2009 (Elles Carver & Parnell)

Rebecca Antink 1996

Olivia Armstrong 2007

B

Hannah Baatz (nee Semple), St. Albans 1999 to 2005

Virginia Beardsall, St. Albans 1999 to 2004

Antonia Beardsall, St. Albans 1999 to 2005 (Head Chorister)

Imogen Bernays, Watford, Herts 2009 to 2014 (Steel, Madeleine & Rhoda Mainstone)

Bibi Berrington, St. Albans 2006 to 2008

Elinor Bishop, High Barnet, Herts 2003 to 2008 (Stocker)

Kitty Bishop, Freising, Germany 2004 to 2010 (Steel & Laing)

Zoey Bittleston, St. Albans 1996 to 2000 (Lewis-Barclay)

Isabelle Blain, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Filkin & Alban Head Chorister)

Katherine Brayne, New Plymouth, New Zealand 1996 to 2001

Elise Brock, Harpenden, Herts 1996 to 2001

Susannah Brook, Horsehay, Shropshire 1996 to 1999 (Head Chorister)

C

Charlotte Campbell, St. Albans 2001 to 2007 (Stocker)

Ashleigh Chard, St. Albans 2001 to 2006 (Wixamtree)

Erin Chard, St. Albans 2003 to 2008 (Parnell)

Laura Chard, Kimpton, Herts 1996 to 2000

Mishka Chard, St. Albans 1998 to 2004

Helen Charlston, Harpenden, Herts 2002 to 2007 (Stocker & Alban Head Chorister)

Francesca Cowper, St. Albans 2001 to 2006 (Laing)

Victoria Cox, Codicote, Herts 2004 to 2007 (Elles Carver)

D

Daisy Daniell, St. Albans 2008 to 2011 (St Ronan)

Anna Debenham, St. Albans 1998 to 2004

E

Elizabeth Evans, St. Albans 1996 to 2001

Elizabeth (‘Beth’) Eyre, Scarborough, North Yorkshire 2004 to 2009 (Wixamtree & Alban Head Chorister)

Lydia Eyre, Scarborough, North Yorkshire 2001 to 2006 (Parnell)

F

Amy Featherby, Wheathampstead, Herts 1996 to 1997

Alison Forrester, St. Albans 1996 to 1997 (Head Chorister)

Hannah Foxton, St. Albans 2005 to 2010 (Stocker & Parnell)

Katie Foxton, St. Albans 2006 to 2011 (Wixamtree)



25

G

Louise Gardner, St. Albans 1996 to 1999

Jennifer Gibson, St. Albans 1996 to 2001

Olivia (‘Libby’) Godlee, Benington, Herts 1996 to 2003 (Lewis-Barclay & ECA Committee member)

Rebecca (‘Becky’) Godlee, Benington, Herts to 2001

Naomi Gordon 1996 to 1997

H

Olivia Hardy, St. Albans 2008 to 2014 (Wixamtree & Parnell)

Amy Hartleycadywould, Harpenden, Herts 1996 to 2005 (Wixamtree)

Laura Hicks, St. Albans 1997 to 2003 (ECA Committee Member)

Alice Hilder Jarvis, Wheathampstead, Herts 2008 to 2014 (Foxton & Alban Head Chorister)

Penelope Hilder Jarvis, Wheathampstead, Herts 2011 to 2016 (St. Ronan)

Emma Huggett, St. Albans 2006 to 2012 (Parnell & Alban Head Chorister)

Bryony Hulbert, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Elles Carver)

Rose Hulbert, St. Albans 2001 to 2006 (Alban Head Chorister)

Claire Innes-Hopkins MA (Cantab) FRCO, St. Albans 1996 to 2000 (Head Chorister)

Frances Innes-Hopkins, St. Albans 1996 to 2002 (Head Chorister)

Joanna Innes-Hopkins, St. Albans 1999 to 2005 (Parnell)

J

Amelia James, St. Albans 2008 to 2014 (Stocker)

Kate James, St. Albans 2005 to 2010 (Rosemary Blossom & Alban Head Chorister)

Masie James, St. Albans 2005 to 2011 (Wixamtree & Laing)

Elizabeth Janes 2012 to 2014

Alexandra Jennings, Harpenden, Herts 2002 to 2007 (Elles Carver)

K

Louisa Kataria, St. Albans 2010 to 2015 (Steel)

Alice Knight, London 1998 to 2004 (Wixamtree)

Emily Knight, St. Albans 1998 to 2004 (Laing)

Lucy Knight, St. Albans 2003 to 2008 (Laing)

L

Alice Lawford-Davies, North Yorkshire 2012

Anna Lawford-Davies, North Yorkshire 2010 to 2011

Sophy Lawrence, St. Albans 1996 to 2000 (Lewis-Barclay)

Saskia Lythgoe, St. Albans 2011 to 2015 (Wixamtree)

M

Lucy Martin, St. Albans 1996 to 1999

Katie Masson 1996 to 2000

Riahne McQuade, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (St Ronan)

Naomi Message (nee Keeling) MA (Cantab) PGCE, Cambridge

1996 to 2000 (Lewis-Barclay)

Sarah Moore, St. Albans left 1997

Hannah Muhley, St. Albans 2003 to 2008 (Steel & Alban Head Chorister)

Rebecca Muhley, St. Albans 1997 to 2003 (Head Chorister)

N Samantha Nash, Potters Bar, Herts 1996 to 1999

Cleo Newton, St. Albans 2006 to 2010 (Elles Carver)



26

P

Emma Parkhouse, St. Albans 1998 to 2004. (Head Chorister)

Julia Parkhouse, St. Albans 1996 to 2001 (Head Chorister)

Lydia Pazzi-Axworthy, St. Albans 2008 to 2013 (Rosemary Blossom)

Emily Price, St. Albans 2009 to 2015 (Rosemary Blossom)

Jessica Price, St. Albans 2006 to 2011 (Rosemary Blossom)

Alice Pyke, Hatfield, Herts 1996 to 2001

Susannah Pyke, Hatfield, Herts 2001 to 2005

R

Rosie Roberts (nee Cooke), St. Albans 1996 to 1999 (Lewis-Barclay)

S

Katherine Salisbury, St. Albans 1998 to 2002

Amy Sharpen, Hertford, Herts 1996 to 1997

Dr. Elizabeth Skinner (nee Leek), Cambridge 1996 to 1999 (Lewis-Barclay)

Fiona Snelling, St. Albans 2010 to 2015 (Foxton & Alban Head Chorister)

V

Nina Vinther, Harpenden, Herts 2006 to 2012 (Filkin, Parnell & Deputy Head Chorister)

W

Jennie Walton, St. Albans 2009 to 2013 (Laing)

Emma Watts MSc, St. Albans 1996 to 2001 (Lewis-Barclay)

Hannah Watts MA, St. Albans 1996 to 2004 (Lewis-Barclay)

Jessica Woodhouse, St. Albans 2007 to 2012 (Steel)

Chloe Woodmansterne, St. Albans 2001 to 2007 (Laing)

Y

Cecilia Young, Barnet, Herts 2008 to 2014 (Filkin)

Freya Young, Barnet, Herts 2006 to 2012 (Stocker)

Sarah Young, Barnet, Herts 2004 to 2011 (Stocker & Alban Head Chorister)

E&OE



27

Former Lay Clerks – Gentlemen of the Choir

A

Maurice Abrahams c1959

James Abson, Winchester, Hants Alto 1959 to 1976

John Adams, St. Albans Alto 1960 to 1980

Jonathan Alder, Suffolk Alto 1984 to 1988

Rod Argent, Hampshire Alto 1959 to 1962

Nicholas Arratoon, London Tenor 2013 to 2015

B Simon Baker, London Alto 1994 to 1998

Graham Barton, Thames Ditton, Surrey Alto 1989 to 1991

Derek Bell Tenor

James Black, Rye, East Sussex Alto 1987 to 1989

Simon Blake, USA Alto

Professor Tim Blinko, St. Albans Alto 1993 to 1994

Richard Brain, Southgate, London Tenor 2012 to 2013

Jeremy Burrows, Huntingdon, Cambs Alto 1991 to 1994

Malcolm Bury, Aylesbury, Bucks Alto 1971 to 1982 (ECA Chairman)

Mark Bushby B.Mus PGCE FASC, Reading, Berkshire Tenor 2002 to 2004

C

Gregg Carder, New York, USA Tenor 1971 to 1973

Revd Norton Challenor, Queensland, Australia Bass c1950s to 1960s

Stephen Charlesworth, Lewes, Sussex Baritone 1981 to 1985

?Conway Tenor c1921

Peter Cook Alto

Rogers Covey-Crump B.Mus. FRCO(CHM) ARCM LRAM,

St. Albans

Tenor 1961 to 1972

Peter Crawford, St. Albans Alto 2006 to 2009

D Hugh Davies, San Rafael, California, USA Bass 1968 to 1970

Roland Deller, London Alto 2006 to 2011

Anthony (‘Tony’) de Rivaz MA (Cantab) FCA, St. Albans Alto 1982 to 2012

E

Anthony (‘T’) Edwards, St. Albans Tenor 1970 to 2002

David Entwistle, St. Albans Bass 2001 to 2012

F Simon Filsell, Kirkliston, Edinburgh Bass 1987 to 2011

Eric Freeman Tenor 1971

G Simon Gaunt, York Bass 1987 to 2000

Alan Godfrey, Welwyn Garden City, Herts Alto 1949 to 1950



28

Revd Paul Goode, Berwickshire, Scotland Tenor 1997 to 2000

Benjamin Goodson, Enfield, Herts Tenor 2012 to 2015

Michael Gough, Queensland, Australia Alto & Bass 1964 to 1968

Oliver Gurney, Luton Tenor c1949

H, I

Mike Hall, Ross-shire Tenor late 1950s to 1964

Nicholas Hare, St. Albans Tenor 2001 to 2003

David Haxby, Thirsk, Yorkshire Tenor 1966 to 1969

Adrian Hill, London Alto 1978 to 1988

Mark Hounsell, Somerset Tenor 2002 to 2009

Gordon Hughes Bass

David Ireson ARCM, Wheathampstead, Herts Bass 1965 to 2015

K, L

Vernon Kirk B.Mus (Hons), Watford, Herts Tenor

Victor Kettle Bass

Peter Knapp, Brighton, Sussex Bass 1963 to 1970

Jonathan Knight, St. Albans Tenor

Ben Knowles, London Tenor c1991

Justin Lee, Cambridge Tenor 1990 to 1991

M

Ron MacDonald Bass

John Marvin, Storington, Surrey Tenor 1960 to 1968

Canon Michael McCarthy FRCO ARCM GGSM Bass c1992

Rod McPhee, Redbourn, Herts Bass

John Meager, Mortimer, Berks Tenor 1975 to 1987 (ECA Committee member)

Alistair Miles, Great Shelford, Cambs Bass

Brian Moles MMus BMus (Hons), Hampshire Tenor 2004 to 2009

P

Keith Parker, Harpenden, Herts Alto & Tenor 1979 to 1986

Peter Pearson Welwyn Garden City, Herts

Bass 1959 to 1987

Peter Pearson joined the Cathedral Choir in 1959 when Peter Hurford was Master of the

Music, firstly as a tenor before moving to bass. He continued to sing with Stephen

Darlington and completed his service with Colin Walsh.

During his working life Peter was a teacher specialising in craft (wood) work but was also

a keen hockey player and continued to play long after he retired. His name appears on

the Welwyn Garden City Hockey Club Roll of Honour for making a significant contribution

to the Club.

Peter was Luccombe Camp Master for many years, his knowledge of woodsmanship being

a tremendous asset. He would also wake up the choristers at 0730 either with the cry of

“Wakey Wakey Rise and Shine” or by playing his recorder outside their tents.

After leaving the Cathedral Choir Peter sang with the Wingrave Singers, Exquire and the Choir of St Francis’ Church

Welwyn Garden City.



29

R

Gavin Rogers-Ball Alto 1988 to 1993

Jacob Ross, St. Albans Tenor 2003 to 2004

John Roy Alto 1959 to 1960

S Andrew Shepstone, St. Albans Tenor to 2015

Nigel Short, London Alto c1984

Peter Sturt Tenor 2009 to 2010

T John Tournay, Dunstable, Beds Alto 1943 to 1969

Paul Turner, Sherborne, Somerset Tenor 1972 to 1988

Roger Turner, Msindi, Uganda 1969

W, Y, Z Geoffrey Ward, Harpenden, Herts Tenor 1968 to 1987

Richard West, Loughborough Tenor 2002

Ian Wicks, Salisbury, Wilts Tenor 1992 to 2001

Ian Woods, St. Albans Alto 1959 to 1960, Bass 1965 to 1975

Denis Yates, Wells, Somerset Alto 1955 to 1960

Christopher Zealley, Totnes, Devon Tenor & Bass

E&OE



30

Former Organ Scholars

2013 to 2015 Michael Papadopulos M.Mus. FRCO Assistant Organist, Clare College Cambridge

Assistant Director, St Paul’s Knightsbridge

2012 to 2013 Justin Miller M.Mus Organist and Director of Music, St Matthew’s Church, Northampton

(from January 2017)

Sub-Assistant Organist, Worcester Cathedral,

2010 to 2012 Peter Holder B.Mus Sub-Organist, St Paul’s Cathedral

Organ Scholar, Westminster Abbey

2010 Parker Ramsay Kings College, Cambridge

Oberlin College, Ohio

2008 to 2009 Alex Woodrow MA (Cantab) FRCO

FTCL

Head of Choral Music at Solihull School

Director of Music at Bradford Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Hexham Abbey

Organ Scholar, Guildford Cathedral

2006 to 2008 Richard Pinel MA (Oxon) Director of Music and Fellow, Jesus College, Cambridge, (from 1st

January 2017)

Assistant Director of Music,St. George’s Chapel, Windsor

Organ Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford Cathedral and Perth

Cathedral, Australia

2004 to 2006 James Davy BA(Hons) FRCO Director of Music, Chelmsford Cathedral

Assistant Director of Music, Blackburn Cathedral

Organ Scholar, Portsmouth and Durham Cathedrals

Assistant Organist, Winchester College

2003 to 2004 David Humphreys MA (Cantab)

FRCO

Assistant Director of Music, Peterborough Cathedral

Assistant Director of Music, St. Edmundsbury Cathedral

2002 to 2003 James McVinnie MA (Cantab)

FRCO

Freelance Organist

Assistant Organist, Westminster Abbey

Organ Scholar, Clare College, Cambridge

Sub-Organist, St. Pauls Cathedral, London,

2000 to 2001 Dr. Alex Flood PhD MMus ARCO Assistant Director of Music, St Peter’s Church, St. Albans

Organ Scholar, Jesus College, Cambridge

1998 to 2000 Simon Bell MMus FRCO Director of the Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum

Director of Choral Music and Organist, Dean Close School

Assistant Director of Music, Winchester Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Southwell Minster

Organ Scholar & Assistant Organist, Westminster Abbey

1995 to 1998 Peter Dyke MA (Cantab) FRCO Assistant Director of Music, Hereford Cathedral

Assistant Organist, St Woollos Cathedral, Newport

Organ Scholar, Robinson College, Cambridge

1994 to 1995 Christopher Betts MA (Oxon) FRCO Director of Music, Church of the Redeemer, Bethesda, USA

Organist and Associate Director of Music, Washington National

Cathedral, Washington, DC

Director of Music, First United Methodist Church, Lubbock, Texas,

USA

Director of Music, St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick

Assistant Master of the Music, Sheffield Cathedral

Organ Scholar, Magdalen College Oxford

1993 to 1994 Nigel McClintock MMus GRSM

(Hons) FTCL FFCM ARCO DipRCM

Director of Music, St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Belfast

Director of Music, St. George's Church, Belfast

Director of Music, Croydon Parish Church

1992 to 1993 Richard Tanner MA (Oxon) FRCO

ARAM Hon FGCM

Director of Music Rugby School

Director of Chapel Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London

Organist & Director of Music, Blackburn Cathedral

1991 to 1992 Lee Ward BMus ARCM ARCO(CHM)

LRAM ABSM FRSA

Organist, Mosteiro, São Bento, Brazil

Director of Music, The London Oratory School



31

Director of Music, Hampstead Parish Church

1990 to 1991 Robert Sharpe MA (Oxon) FRCO

FRSA Hon FGCM

Director of Music, York Minster

Director of Music, Truro Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Lichfield Cathedral

1989 to 1990 Sean Farrell BA (Hons) FRCO LRAM Head of Academic Music, Wellington College

Head of Performance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, London

Sub Organist, Director of the Girls Choir, Rochester Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Ely Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Director of the Girls Choir, Wakefield Cathedral

1988 to 1989 Nicholas Robinson (RCM) Director of Music, St. Peter’s Church, St. Albans

1986 to 1988 Neil Taylor Freelance Organist

Director of Music, Sheffield Cathedral

Assistant Organist, Norwich Cathedral

1985 to 1986 Miles Quick BA ARCO PGCE Director of Music, St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton

Director of Music, Queen’s College

Director of Music, St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton

Assistant Director of Music, Norwich School

Assistant Organist, Westminster Abbey

Assistant Music Teacher, Merchant Taylor’s School

Assistant Sub-Organist, Durham Cathedral

1984 to 1985 Michael Haynes FRCO(CHM) Assistant Organist St Nicholas Cathedral Newcastle

Director of Music Hexham Abbey.

1983 to 1984 Revd Neil Kelley ARCM (Hons) RCM

(Dip. Perfs.)

Rector of Bushey

Vicar of the United Benefice of Saint Faith, Great Crosby with Saint

Mary the Virgin, Waterloo Park, Liverpool

Director of Music, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Assistant Organist, Pembroke College, Cambridge

Assistant Organist, Queens College, Cambridge

Organ Scholar, St George’s Chapel, Windsor

E&OE

Other Assistant Organists

c1977 Michael Overbury MA Mus. FRCO(CHM) ARCM ATCL



32

Former Precentors

2012 to 2015 Revd Paul Arbuthnot Minor Canon and Sacrist, Westminster Abbey

Curate Assistant, St Paul's Church, Glenageary (Diocese of Dublin)

Honorary Chancellor's Vicar, St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

2002 to 2006 Revd Barnaby Huish

County Durham

1996 to 2001 Revd David Munchin

Welwyn Garden City, Herts

1993 to 1996 Father Jonathan Boardman

Rome, Italy

1990 to 1992 Revd Canon Mark Bonney Dean of Ely Cathedral

Canon Chancellor Salisbury Cathedral

1986 to 1990 Revd Chris Collingwood

Chigwell School, Essex

1982 to 1986 The Venerable John Reed

Taunton, Somerset

1977 to 1981 Revd Canon John Pedlar Christ Church with St Ewen

All Saints & St George, Bristol

St Paul's Church Bedford, Beds

c1976 to 1977 Revd Howard Bigg

1972 to 1976 The Very Reverend Keith Jones Dean of York Minster (retired)

1967 to 1969 Revd Tim Lewis-Lloyd

Lingfield, Surrey

1967 to 1970 Revd Terrance Stokes

1963 to 1967 Revd David J. Baker

? Revd David Prout

E&OE



33

Friends of the Ex-Choristers’ Association

Mr Neil Almond, St Albans.

Mr. Lance Andrews, (Lammas Records), York.

Mr Richard Belton, Honorary Secretary of the Federation of Cathedral Old Choristers’ Associations.

Mr Mervyn Bury, Leighton Buzzard, Beds.

Mr Barry Forrester, Former Cathedral Music Trust, St. Albans.

Mr & Mrs David Foxton, St. Albans.

Mr & Mrs Alan Herbert, St Albans.

Mr Colin Innes-Hopkins, St Albans.

Mrs Pam Kell, St Albans.

Dr David J Kelsall, Cathedral Archivist, St. Albans.

Mr & Mrs Paul Leggatt, St. Albans.

Mr David Martin-Smith, St. Albans.

Mr Roger Mullis, London.

Mr David Pepin & Mrs June Clark Pepin, Alston, Cumbria.

Mr & Mrs Frederick Thomas, Hertfordshire.



34

Former Cathedral Musicians – Deceased

We acknowledge and give thanks for the service given by the following Choristers, Lay Clerks,

Masters of the Music and Cathedral Music Staff.

Choristers

Edmund Atkinson, c1960s-1970s

Barry Blackburn, c1940s

Brian Blackman, c1940 to 1950s

Alfred Brown c1914 to 1918

Ray Buxton, c1924

Jack Clear, c1924

Arnold Chessell, c1920s

Leslie Cobb, c1924

Jeffrey Collins, 1929 to 1935

Norman Conway, c1921

Robert Alban Cozens, c1930s (k.i.a. 1943)

Ted Cutmore, c1920s

Jeremy Davies, 1964 to 1968

Jack Day, c1924

Ralph Stanley Dunham

Eddie Ford, c1924

Jim Foulkes, c1921

Pat Foulkes, c1921

Jack Francis, c1924

Jim Gibbs, c1924

Dick Gooch, c1924

Wilfred Groper, c1924

Reginald Gulliver, c1924

Alfred Hatton, c1930s

Frank Harrington, c1910 to 1912

Robin Hodgson, 1945 to 1949

Raymond Huggins, c1924

Robert Hume, c1944

Raymond Hughes MBE, 1921 to 1928

(Woollams Scholar, Head Chorister, Asst. Organist 1928)

David Hunt, 1962 to 1967

(Chairman of the Former Choristers’ Association c1980s)

Joseph Keightley, 1858 to 1923

Frank Kendall, c1930s

Sydney Kendall, c1924

Harold Merkins, 1907 to 1912

Ernest Mileman, c1912

Cliff Morton, c1924

John Moss

Michael Moreton, c1932 to 1933

Terence Newell, 1920 to 1929

Charles Pallant, c1910 to 1912

Norman Pallant, c1924

Clifford Page, 1936 to 1940

Eric Page, c1930s

Harold Page, 1928 to 1937

Ron Pocock, c1940s (k.i.a.)

Robert Pearce, 1957 to 1962

Edgar Randall, c1924

Arthur Ridge, c1924

Basil Saville, 1939 to 1943

(FCOCA Honorary Secretary)

Barry Smith, 1940 to 1945

Jack Saunders, c1924

Geoffrey Thomas, c1924

Alfred Victor Smith VC, c1898 to 1908 (k.i.a 1915)

David Spary, c1924

George Stanford, c1924

Jeremy Symes, 1968 to 1972

Andrew Thayne, 1972 to 1976

William Newens Ward, 1972 to 1976



35

Lay Clerks & Gentlemen of the Choir

John Atkins, Tenor c1924

John Barratt, Tenor 1963 to 1980

Mike Bigg, Alto to 1976

Thomas (‘Tommy’) Atkins, c1921

Dr. Leslie Bates, Bass c1910 to 1924

Fred Bradley, Bass c1950s

Mike Browne, Bass 1954 to 1966

Donald K. Cassells?

Dr. Nigel Clark, Alto to 1972

?Dudley, Bass c1933

Percy Foster, Bass

Andrew Cassels, Alto & Bass c1920s

Frank Collins, Alto c1920s to 1950s

Harry Everett, Bass 1939 to 1944

Allan Fast, Alto 1976

Alfred Gearing, Alto c1924

Ronald Gough, Bass 1955 to 1969

Frank (‘Fred’) Gurney, Alto c1956

Frank Harrington, Alto c1910 to 1912

David Hill, Bass 1970 to 1984

James Henley, Alto

Denis Hodgson, Tenor c1947

Robin Hodgson, Tenor

James Imison, Tenor c1924.

Ron Macdonald, Bass

Humphrey Moreton, Bass c1924 to 1950s

William Newell, Bass c1910 to 1912

George Page, Bass c1956

Charles Pallant, Tenor c1910 to 1912

Geoffrey Richardson, c1920s to 1940s

Anthony (‘Tony’) Robson, Alto 1967 to 1982

Bill Thornecroft, Bass

George Twigg, Tenor c1959 to 1961

William Ward, Bass

Bill Privet, Tenor

John Pulford, Bass

George Slough, Bass c1920s

Frank Stanford, Tenor c1925

Arnold Turner, Tenor c1940s

Phil Waller, Alto c1924

Bunty Williams, Tenor c1920s



36

Former Masters of the Music

1949 to 1957 Claude Peter Primrose Burton MA B.Mus (Oxon) FRCO (CHM)

1947 to 1949 Meredith Davies CBE B.Mus

1937 to 1947 Dr. Albert Charles Tysoe Mus.D FRCO

1930 to 1937 Cuthbert E. Osmond B.Mus FRCO ARCM

1880 to 1907 George Gaffe FCO

1858 to 1879 John Stocks Booth

Former Assistant Masters of the Music / Assistant Organists

1975 to 1977 John Francis Clough MA FRCO CH.M

1973 to 1974 Anthony Jennings

1951 to 1971 John Henry Freeman FRCO LTCL (CMT)

1948 to 1951 Frederick G. Carter FRCO ATCL

1940 to 1947 Stanley L. Milnes FRCO LRAM Hon FLCM

1936 to 1939 Sydney J. Barlow FRAM

1936 to 1937 Kenneth F. Malcolmson MA FRCO

1924 to 1930 George C. Straker

1908 to 1909 John Cawley ARCO

Former Cathedral Precentors

1981 Revd David Prout

c1960s Revd David Elliott

1958 to 1963 The Right Reverend Stewart Cross

1948 to 1958 Revd Norman Hill

1941 to 1948 Revd Hugh Blenkin

Former Honorary Members

1970 to 1991 Carolyn Lewis- Barclay (Mistress of the Choir Robes)

to 1995 Basil Saville



37

The Management Committee 2016 – 17

Malcolm Bury - Chairman Malcolm and his wife, Luanda, live in Aston Clinton, Aylesbury. Malcolm, now

completing his ninth year as Chairman of the St. Albans Cathedral Ex-Choristers

Association, was an Alto lay clerk from 1971 to 1982 and sang with Peter Hurford

and Stephen Darlington.

He left the Cathedral Choir to pursue his career with Shell International - firstly

to New Zealand and thereafter to Indonesia, Thailand, Scotland and Oman. He

now sings occasionally with The Wingrave Singers, a group he previously

directed and, when he can, with St. Andrew's Cathedral Choir in Aberdeen.

John Meager - Honorary Treasurer John sang as a tenor in the Cathedral Choir for 12 years from 1975. Previously he

sang treble in his Parish Church choir and as a tenor, first at St. Augustine's,

Broxbourne, then at St. Alban's, Holborn. A move in his career took him to

Nottingham and the choir at St. Mary's, the civic Church there.

Having now retired from a career in Banking he lives in Berkshire and sings in his

local Church choir and with the chamber group Cantemus Newbury. His twin

sons, Jeremy and Simon, were choristers in the Cathedral Choir. Gardening and

Lawn Bowls now occupy his spare time.

Honorary Secretary – Position Vacant

Tony Price - IT Manager Tony is a business analyst by profession but is also a Lay Clerk, singing alto in

the Cathedral Choir since 1999. His wife, Marie, conducts the Parish Singers and

Parish Junior Singers at the Cathedral and his three children have all been

choristers, Jessica and Emily in the Abbey Girls Choir and Christopher in the

Cathedral Choir.

As a treble, he sang with St Woollos Cathedral Choir in Newport, South Wales

and was once a finalist in the Chorister of the Year competition (1980).



38

Trevor Jarvis - Representative for the Cathedral Choir

Trevor joined the Abbey Choir as a probationer in 1957, under Peter Burton, and

was one of the first batches of choristers to be made on the arrival of Peter

Hurford in 1958. One of the highlights of his time in the choir was singing to the

Queen Mother when she visited the Cathedral on the occasion of her receiving

the Freedom of the City in 1961.

He attended the first of many choir camps at Luccombe. After leaving school, he

studied music at Southampton University, and subsequently was appointed

Director of Music at Buckfast Abbey. After taking early retirement, he still

returns to Buckfast to direct the Voluntary Choir there. He also works part-time

for the Royal School of Church Music.

Laura Hicks - Representative for the Abbey Girls Choir

Born and educated in St Albans, Laura was a member of the St Albans Abbey

Girls Choir from 1996 until 2003, as well as attending Junior Guildhall as a singer

and flautist. Whilst studying Physics and Chemistry at Durham University she

sang with many of the chapel choirs and also the University Chamber Choir,

Durham Cathedral Consort and the Rodolfus Choir.

Having graduated with a first class degree she is now teaching science, alongside

maintaining her love of music by singing with many church choirs in London, and

has appeared with chamber choirs including Philharmonia Voices, Surrey Voices

and Mosaic at venues around the South-East including the Festival Hall, St

Alban's Abbey and many others.

Libby Godlee - Representative for the Abbey Girls Choir

Libby was the youngest founder chorister of the St Albans Abbey Girls Choir at

the age of six. She recorded as a soloist aged eight on their first record, ‘Awake

my Soul’ and met the Queen during her final year as Lewis Berkeley chorister.

She attended Haileybury College where she was head chorister and led the

school orchestra and chamber orchestra. Following an Eton Choral Course, she

was invited to join the Rodolfus Choir under Ralph Allwood with whom she has

recorded, performed as a soloist live on BBC Radio 3, and toured nationally and

internationally.

She was choral scholar at University College, Durham and St John’s College,

Durham as well as singing with the Durham Cathedral Consort under James Lancelot, and also lead vocalist

with the University College Big Band.

During her PGCE training at the Faculty of Education, Libby sang with the Cambridge University Chamber

Choir where she performed as the alto soloist in the St Matthew Passion. She now works in Management

Consultancy in London and sings regularly at the Guards Chapel.



39

Nicolas Gibbon - Representative for the Cathedral Choir 1960s Nicolas was a chorister through most of the late 1960s and continued his interest

in the Cathedral after that, until university, family and career took him away

from Hertfordshire. Time spent in Germany and Sweden led to Brighton and

finally London where he now ekes out a living in the dark world of political

consultancy.

Sadly, nature has seen to it that Nicolas should never sing again in an

environment where anyone will hear him, but nostalgia for the music, the good

times, the great people associated with the Choir, not to mention the beautiful

city, cathedral and football club of St Albans have all brought him back to the

Association.

Peter Jeffs - Representative for the Cathedral Choir 1960s Peter started singing in St Julian’s Church Choir in St Albans before joining the

Abbey Choir in Autumn 1959 where he became a Woollam Scholar before leaving

in April 1964.

Graduating in Physics at Newcastle University he settled in Leeds to pursue a

career in engineering and finance before running an education charity in

Yorkshire & Humberside.

Throughout his life he has sung in church choirs, a madrigal group and Leeds

G&S Society. He currently sings with Guiseley Parish Church which has visited St

Albans on a number of occasions to sing during choir holidays.

Richard Lilley - Representative for the Cathedral Choir 1980s Richard was a Chorister when Stephen Darlington was Master of the Music,

becoming a probationer in 1979 and retiring as Head Chorister in 1984.

With fond memories of Choir Camp he maintained contact for many years, often

taking holiday to coincide with camp.

A career with Hertfordshire Constabulary and its shift work took him away from

pursuing music but did provide him the opportunity to meet Gill, a colleague

who became his wife. Richard and Gill (coincidentally with family ties to

Minehead) were married at St. Mary’s, Luccombe during choir camp in 2000.

They still live in Hertfordshire with their two children.

He has recently joined the St Albans Bach Choir, singing Tenor, and was elected to the ECA management

committee in June 2016.

In the early 1980s Richard’s father, Brian, was instrumental in initiating, and presided over, an “Old

Choristers’ Day,” attended by over 50 former choristers and where messages from Her Majesty The Queen

and the Archbishop of Canterbury were read. Following this meeting “The Association of Former Choristers

of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban” was established.



40

Jeremy Meager - Representative for the Cathedral Choir 1970s

Jeremy first started singing as a boy at St. Mary’s Church, Nottingham before

joining the Abbey Choir in 1975, where he went on to become a Woollam

Scholar.

Even though he’s always been passionate about the English Choral Tradition, it

was a chance invitation by John Clough to turn pages one Sunday morning that

really ignited his love of the organ and of accompanying choirs. He remembers

the piece as being “Procession of Palms” by Malcolm Williamson.

Following organ lessons with Stephen Darlington, Harry Bramma and finally with

Peter Hurford, Jeremy left school to attend the RNCM in Manchester, but left

after deciding that a full-time career in music was not what he wanted to do.

For the past 25 years Jeremy has worked full time in the digital organ industry, and for the past 10 years

has been Managing Director of Viscount Classical Organs Ltd based in Bicester. He still maintains a busy

part-time music career as both accompanist and recitalist.

Other ex-officio committee members are co-founder and Honorary Life Members, David Ireson and Pat

Hurford, together with Moira Dean, co-founder and Honorary Member.

Past Committee Members

David Martin Smith – Honorary Treasurer

Bob Staten – Honorary Secretary

Simon Colston – Finance & IT Manager

Susannah Brook – Abbey Girls Choir

Rosie Roberts (nee Cooke) – Abbey Girls Choir

John Adams – Cathedral Choir

Maureen Adams – Honorary Secretary



41

St Albans Cathedral - Old Choristers’ Associations

There have been a number of attempts to establish and sustain an association for old choristers.

In May 1970 the first steps were taken to form an Ex-Choristers’ Association at a dinner in the Abbey

Institute. Former Chorister and Woollam Scholar, Martin Freeman, the Honorary Secretary said at time

“the objective is to retain friendships made between choristers during their period of service and to

renew friendships with those ex-choristers who have already lost contact.”

Meetings of the association were being planned, including a treasure hunt, and that they wished to hear

from any former Abbey chorister no matter how long ago he may have left but Martin added the

cautionary note that the associations success “depends upon the magnitude of its membership.”

Sadly, despite these early efforts the association didn’t really materialise into a stable organisation.

In August 1984 the Precentor, Reverend John Reed wrote to former chorister Michael Freeman inviting

him, and some 200 others to attend an exploratory meeting and reunion buffet supper (provided by

current choristers’ parents) on 15th September to discuss the formation of an old choristers association.

At that “Old Choristers’ Day” meeting attended by over 50 former choristers Brian Lilley presided and

messages from Her Majesty The Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury were read.

On the proposal of Jeffery Collins (1932), seconded by Jeremy Davies it was agreed to establish “The

Association of Former Choristers of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of Saint Alban” following initial

officers:

Jeremy J M Davies – Chairman (1964 - 67)

Basil A Saville – Secretary (1939 - 43)

Richard D E Walker – Treasurer (1978 - 83)

Robin Hodgson – Keeper of the Rolls (1945 - 50)

James Cozens – Public Relations (1935 - 42)

Martin Booth (1980 - 84)

Christopher Cutts (1962 - 65)

with Brian Lilley being co-opted.

Annual ‘voluntary’ subscriptions were agreed at £5 for members 21 and over, unless engaged in further

education or unemployed, and £1 otherwise.

In 1987 St Albans hosted the Federation of Cathedral Old Chorister’s Associations’ annual festival. As can

be seen from the map below it was a well organised event.



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Sadly, in 1992, due to a lack of a sustainable organisation and commitment from members the association

was put into abeyance.

In 2007, shortly after the presentation of the (Peter) Hurford Choristership, a small group of people,

including Lay Clerks David Ireson and David Martin-Smith together with ‘choir mums’ Christine Blackie,

Moira Dean and Ros de Rivaz met to see if there was a possibility of re-energising the Former Choristers’

Association. An inaugural Reunion and Choral Evensong was held in July 2007 and was attended by over 70

former choristers and lay clerks.

Such was its success that it was decided to re-establish a committee of volunteers to reform the

Association and to take it forward into the future. Accordingly, in September, an initial committee was

established comprising: Chairman: Malcolm Bury, former Alto lay clerk, recently retired, Honorary

Secretary: Bob Staten, a former chorister and Honorary Treasurer David Martin Smith, a current tenor lay

clerk.

At the first meeting to discuss objectives and activities it was agreed to hold a follow-up Reunion and

Choral Evensong in 2008 and on a biennial basis thereafter. In addition, the committee would:

establish and maintain a database of members

establish and maintain a website

resurrect and update the constitution

publish regular newsletters to members

publish biennial Members’ Year Books

Over the next couple of years, the organisational structure of the association was expanded to bring on IT

Manager, Simon Colston, together with representatives of the Cathedral Choir and Abbey Girls Choir.

The Dean of St. Albans, Dr Jeffrey John, very kindly agreed to become our Patron and Dr. Peter Hurford,

OBE, in recognition of his lifetime achievements and service to the Cathedral Choir was invited to be

Honorary Life President. In recognition of their services to the Cathedral Choirs Andrew Lucas, Dr. Barry

Rose OBE, Colin Walsh and Dr. Stephen Darlington became Vice Presidents.

An Honorary Life Membership was granted to Pat Hurford and Honorary Memberships given to the

following people:

Simon Johnston, former Assistant Master of the Music and Director of the Abbey Girls Choir

Andrew Parnell, former Assistant Master of the Music and Founder Director of the Abbey Girls Choir

Dr. Simon Lindley, the first full time Assistant Master of the Music



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David Ireson, Christine Blackie, Moira Dean and Ros de Rivaz as founder members of the Ex-

Choristers’ Association and Tony & Ros de Rivaz for service to Choir Camp.

The establishment of this hierarchy was intended to ensure that the Ex-Choristers’ Association remained

robust and sustainable.

At the 2008 Reunion the Service of Choral Evensong was sung by the Cathedral Choir, Directed by Andrew

Lucas Master of the Music with Simon Johnson, Organ. The members of the ECA joined the Choir for the

canticles and anthem.

Introit: Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord by Meredith Davies

Preces & Responses: William Smith : Lord’s Praier by Robert stone

Psalm 121 I will lift up my eyes

Office Hymn: Angel voices ever singing

Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in C by C. V. Stanford

Anthem: Light of the World by Edward Elgar

On 24th May and 22nd November 2010 respectively Peter

and Pat Hurford celebrated their 80th birthdays and

were entertained to lunch by the Chairman.

In September the Ex-Choristers Association put on its

first major concert to celebrate their birthdays and also

to raise much needed funds.

The concert was entitled “Their sound is gone out” and

featured the Abbey Girls Choir, Abbey Singers and

members of the Ex-Choristers’ Association singing for

the first time as Exquire.

Photograph: Malcolm Bury

Photograph: Colin Whyman

The Abbey Girls Choir, Abbey Singers & Exquire – September 2010 Singing “Zadok the Priest” from Handel’s Coronation Anthems

The main works were Handel’s Coronation Anthems conducted by Andrew Parnell. Guest performers were

Dr. Simon Lindley, who travelled from Leeds especially to play Peter Hurford’s Suite Laudate Dominum,

Simon Johnson, Andrew Lucas and former Chorister from the 60s, Rod Argent who sang his famous hit song

“She’s Not There.”



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Rod Argent

Former Chorister & Alto Lay Clerk 1956 to 1962 Lead Singer – The Zombies


Dr. Peter Hurford OBE and Pat Hurford

receiving “An Album of Memories” from David Ireson


A “Once in a Lifetime” line-up... Rod Argent, Andrew Parnell, Tom Winpenny, Dr. Peter Hurford, Andrew Lucas, Simon Johnson, Dr. Simon Lindley

In 2010 the Service of Choral Evensong was again sung by the Cathedral Choir,

directed by Andrew Lucas, with Tom Winpenny playing the organ. The service

was attended by around 50 members with some twenty singers joining with the

Cathedral Choir.

Introit: Locus Iste by Anton Bruckner

Preces & Responses by Richard Ayleward

Hymn 618 When in our music God is Glorified

Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in B flat by C. V. Stanford

Anthem: Zadok the Priest by G. F. Handel

After the service there was a reception in the Deanery garden at which, despite the depleted numbers,

Andrew described the singing of the Stanford Nunc Dimittis as “Epic”! This brought a huge laugh from the

members.



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Maintaining our strategy of self-financing, the

association determined to hold two main events in

2012. The biennial AGM and Reunion Evensong were

held in July where, once again the members sang the

Canticles and anthem with the Cathedral Choir. The

service included:

Introit: Rejoice in the Lord alway

Preces & Responses by Smith

Psalm: 26

Hymn: CP 377 - Angel Voices ever Singing

Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in D by Herbert Brewer

Anthem: I was glad by C. H Hubert Parry Photograph: Colin Whyman

The Dean of St Albans, Dr Jeffrey John, Peter & Pat Hurford, Michael & Susie Salmon

On this occasion we were joined by Mrs Susie Salmon, the great niece of Willie Lewis Luttman, Master of

the Music from 1907 to 1930. Sadly, it was also the last occasion when our President, Peter Hurford, was

able to attend an ECA event as his health was swiftly deteriorating.


Later, in September the ECA put on its second major concert in the Cathedral; it was entitled “Give Unto

the Lord”. A programme of English music by Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Hubert Parry sung by the Abbey

Girls Choir, Abbey Singers and Exquire was conducted by David Ireson, with Tom Winpenny playing the

organ.



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Guest performers, all former cathedral choristers, lay clerks or musicians, included Claire Innes-Hopkins

(Assistant Organists at Lincoln Cathedral), Emily Knight (Oboe) and Bex Muhley (Soprano), Hannah Watts

(Flute), Stephen Charlesworth (Baritone), Andrew Parnell (former Assistant Master of the Music and

Founder Director of the Abbey Girls Choir, Rogers Covey-Crump (Tenor) and Tom Semple (Trumpet).

Following this concert Tom Winpenny, as Director of the Abbey Girls Choir, was given Honorary

Membership of the Association.

One of the aims of the Association is to support the activities of the Cathedral Choir and the Abbey Grils’

Choir and as a result of our successful concerts and fund raising activities the Association has been able to

give donations to both choirs, £1,300 towards The Abbey Girls Choir Tour Fund and for £1,000 towards

Cathedral Choir funds.

In June 2014 the members of the ECA helped with the celebrations for Barry Rose’ 80th birthday and also

participated in the mass choir at the service of Choral Evensong.

In September a group of 20 members sang as Exquire for one

hour at the flower festival, Music in Bloom.

Under the direction of David Ireson they sang a short

programme of madrigals, anthems and hymns related to the

themes of some of the flower arrangements.

With the performance being interrupted twice by the fire

alarms and everyone being evacuated from the Abbey, many

to the Abbey Orchard, Exquire was able to entertain the

public by giving an impromptu ‘concert’ of some of the

planned madrigals.



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In June we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the Abbey Girls Choir. Choral Evensong was sung by the

Abbey Girls Choir and Lay Clerks, plus some 20 former Abbey Girl Choristers. A highlight was a specially

commissioned Introit, ‘Holy Innocents’ by Judith Weir CBE which was co-sponsored by the Ex-Choristers’

Association.

Abbey Girls Choir & Former Abbey Girl Choristers, 25th June 2016

with Andrew Lucas (Master of the Music), Simon Johnson, Judith Weir CBE,

Rev’d Berkeley Zych (Precentor), The Very Rev’d Dr. Jeffrey John (Dean of St Albans),

Tom Winpenny (Director of the Abbey Girls Choir), Andrew Parnell, Nicholas Freestone (Organ Scholar)



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What of the future?

The ECA is now in its ninth year and its continued existence and success, as always, depends very much on

the willingness of members not only to attend reunions and other musical and social events but also to

undertake the various committee roles necessary to ensure a viable Association.

St Albans is not alone with staffing and succession issues and a number of Old Choristers Associations in

the UK and overseas are experiencing difficulties in sustaining their organisations. Some associations have

evolved into Choir Associations that include both former and current choristers, lay clerks and cathedral

musicians.

It is hoped that ECA members, singing as Exquire, will continue to undertake musical performances,

perhaps not as grand as the two previous concerts, but with participation by both older and younger

members.

In 2017, the Cathedral Choir will have achieved 140 years of continuous service and the Abbey Girls Choir,

21 years. And long may it continue!

members’ year book · 2016. 12. 2. · commissioned introit, ‘holy innocents’ by judith weir...

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