Music at Portsmouth Cathedral.....
See
also:
Cathedral Choir Tour to Denmark 2007 - report (click)
Choral Scholarhips (Gap Year 2008-2009)(click)
The Cathedral Organs(click)
Introduction
 Music is the only international language and as such it is one of
the Church’s most ancient forms of expression and worship
of God.
Music
in Cathedrals strives to do this to a high standard and to use many
differing traditions of music making. English Cathedrals uphold
a unique and 1000 year old ministry of daily use of music within
services. Therefore, at Portsmouth Cathedral you will find a much
acclaimed Cathedral Choir of men and boys, a close harmony group
(formed from our Choral Scholars), the Becket Players (an instrumental
group), the St Thomas Parish Choir (a mixed choir), the newly formed Cantate! (a choir of teenage girls and boys), superb Organ
playing by our resident team of musicians, Jazz extempory and
a myriad of groups and orchestra performing concerts.
Music is at the heart of the Cathedral's many diocesan responsibilities and the Music Department (see Cathedral Music Staff & Choir) plays as full a role as possible in this regard. The Royal School of Church Music thrives in this Area - please see their website (click here) for details of events, conferences and workshops. Work on a new Cathedral and Diocesan Music Centre has been completed and now open for business.
Portsmouth Cathedral Choir was featured in a 2007 edition of Choir & Organ with special refere nce to our Gap Year oppotunities. Some of the Portsmouth Choristers are pictured on the front cover of the magazine (see left). As a result we have auditioned more candidates than ever before and will be pleased to announce these appointments for 2008/2009 at Easter.
The choir also appeared in a recent edition of 'Classical Music' with reference to the training of our choristers and in the March edition of The Singer.
A MAJOR BEQUEST: Portsmouth Cathedral has been very pleased to receive a very generous bequest from a long term supporter of Cathedral music. David Ritchie, who latterly lived in Warblington Street and who died last year, most generously left two thirds of his estate to the Cathedral - initially for the Nave Organ Appeal (which ended four years ago) and then generally in support of Cathedral Music. The amount now received is a marvellous £534,000! After taking advice and liaising with the Executors, it has been decided that some of that money will go to repay Chapter the shortfall of £90,000 for the nave organ that it had to pay out of its own funds; £100,000 to the Cathedral Development Trust for the creation of the Music School in Cathedral House, the purchase of a small chamber pipe organ to be dedicated in David Ritchie’s memory, the creation of flat/bed-sitting rooms in the roof of Cathedral House to provide accommodation for our gap year scholars (which will also bring in a regular rental income) and the purchase of some new staging for use by choirs and concert-givers. The balance is being kept separate in a restricted fund and invested to provide a regular income to contribute towards the £85,000+ needed each year to pay for our inspirational music, as well as supporting some specific new music projects in the coming years.
CATHEDRAL MUSIC: David Ritchie’s generosity and foresight in supporting one of the Cathedral’s greatest gifts, enables Chapter to express the hope that others may wish to contribute to this separate restricted fund, in support of Cathedral music. The aim for Chapter (over the coming years) is to have such a capital sum invested that will produce sufficient annual income to cover all the music costs (currently budgeted at £85,000pa) and thus considerably reduce the costs of running the Cathedral. In the hope that some may be interested, please contact any of the Chapter clergy, Cathedral Administrator , Peter Lowater, (Chair of the Cathedral’s Finance and Investments Committee) or David Price, for further and more detailed discussion. Thank you.
Please
view our Services page to see what music
is being sung or played at daily worship or see the Events
page for details of our Concert Series. Portsmouth Cathedral hosts
a weekly lunchtime recital - LUNCHTIME
LIVE!- on Thursdays at 1.10pm. Do join us for an oasis
of music during the working day. Lunch refreshments on sale too.
What has
been said about music at Portsmouth Cathedral……
'Thank you for doing my fauxbourdons last week.......it all came across with great serenity.' Philip Moore - Organist of York Minster
'....congratulations to you for an excellent broadcast today. The choice of music and its performance were all forst class. The whole thing was most impressive, and worthy of Trafalgar.' Hugh Davis - former Assistant Organist of Portsmouth
‘Thanks
so much for a wonderful performance.' Sir Trevor Macdonald (at
the Re-naming Ceremony for P&O ARTEMIS)
'.....the
choir's singing of contemporary masters such as Haydn, Handel, Croft
and Purcell provided the most powerful affirmation of music's power
to cleanse the soul and lift the spirit.' Mike Allen (THE NEWS
review of '1805' in 2005 Portsmouth Festivities)
‘Very
many thanks for including my ‘Joy is Come’. It came
over very well with lovely bright tone from the choir. All strength
to your elbows.’ Andrew Carter - York
‘I
write to say how much I enjoyed the broadcast of Choral Evensong
today. The singing was exciting and vibrant and totally committed.
It is quite some time since I heard anything to compare with it’
Edward de Riviera – Organist, The Oratory, Oxford
‘Can
I say how much I enjoyed listening to your broadcast this afternoon.
The Stanford came across well, and the men’s sound was very
rich. Timing was perfect’ David Thorne
Dr David Price
Cathedral Organist
Portsmouth Cathedral Music Office
Email: music@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk
Tel: 023 9282 3300
Think about the things
that are true and honourable and right and
pure and beautiful and respected…And the God who gives peace will be
with you.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9
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