Michael Fleming

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Michael Fleming. Michael died peacefully in his sleep at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey on the evening of Tuesday 10th January, after a short illness.

The Requiem was at 8pm on Thursday 26th January at St Michaels Church, Poplar Walk, West Croydon, where Michael was Director of Music from 1998.

Michael served the RSCM at Addington for 25 years, as Warden and Staff Tutor and retired in 1993. He also held organists' posts at several major London churches. He was one of the great RSCM characters, very well known to, and loved by, members and friends all over the country.

Michael continued to be very active in church music after his official retirement, serving on the governing bodies of the English Hymnal Company and the Church Music Society. Some idea of the scope and depth of his work at St Michael’s can be gained from the church web site including his monthly music notes.

When Michael retired from the RSCM, his colleague Martin How wrote in CMQ, "Michael has enriched our lives and continues to do so. He would be the first to acknowledge the source of his power and inspiration (both of which he tends to underrate) so with him, and for his gifts especially, we say 'Laus Deo'."

May he rest in peace.

Harry Bramma has written a full obituary for the March issue of CMQ.