RSCM honours top church musicians
A musician from a Wall Street church affected by 9/11, an English cathedral organist, a leading contemporary British composer, and a Roman Catholic plainsong scholar from Hungary are to receive fellowships from the Royal School of Church Music.
The presentations will be made at RSCM's annual Celebration Day service in Llandaff Cathedral in Wales on 12th May 2007, at 3.15pm, by Mark Williams, Chairman of the RSCM Council. "Each year the RSCM has the pleasure of conferring awards on individuals and sometimes organisations who make outstanding contributions to the musical life of our communities. This year is no exception. With our fellowship awards we shall be recognising work in the international community in North America and Europe, the service of one of our longest serving cathedral organists and choir trainers as well as a leading composer. They together represent the vitality, dedication and enthusiasm of church music," he said.
Professor John Harper, Director General of the RSCM, who will introduce those receiving awards at the service, said: “The RSCM can never honour everyone deserving of an award, but we try to recognise the range and distinction of contributions made to the church and its music in performance and direction, composition, scholarship, and administration. This year our awards go to people from four continents – a mark of the international outreach of the RSCM – and our first award to someone from post-Communist Eastern Europe.”
The Council of the RSCM is pleased to announce the following recipients of honorary awards:
FRSCM (Fellowship)
Awarded for contributions to Church Music and/or liturgy at an international level, or for an outstanding contribution to the RSCM.
Judith Bingham is one of Britain’s leading composers. She has consistently engaged with the composition of church music. A former member of the BBC Singers, she continues to be active as a singer in church. Her reputation is international, and her works are widely performed both in the UK and abroad.
Dr Owen Burdick, Director of Music at the Trinity Church, on Wall Street in New York, is honoured as one of the senior and distinguished church musicians in the United States. He has been part of the team to recover the life and work of Trinity Church after the devastation of 9/11.
Professor László Dobszay has been a leading figure in the re-establishment of church music education in Hungary after the fall of the Communist regime, through the Institute of Church Music at the Liszt Ferenc Music University in Budapest. He is an eminent plainsong scholar who has done much to foster links with other academics in this field across the world over several decades.
Dr Alan Thurlow has been Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral since 1980, and is one of the most senior cathedral musicians. He has also contributed importantly as chairman of the Friends of Cathedral Music in supporting the cathedral music tradition.
ARSCM (Associateship)
Awarded for a contribution to church music and/or liturgy at national level, or for a special contribution to the RSCM.
Bruce Aitken, Master of Knox College, Dunedin, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Otago, and chairman of the RSCM Otago branch, has been a prime mover to establish RSCM in New Zealand as a national body.
Teresa Brown, a Roman Catholic freelance musician and animateur, and coordinator for the RSCM in eastern England, is honoured for the promotion of a range of parish music, including the good use of instruments.
Hugh Davies is Organist and Choirmaster, Kendal Parish Church, a post he also held at St Asaph Cathedral. He is also Education and Training Officer in RSCM Cumbria Area.
Timothy Noon, Organist of St Davids Cathedral, is honoured for the development of the cathedral choir at St Davids and the St Davids Cathedral Festival. He has also helped to reinvigorate the activities of the RSCM in west Wales.
Ian Orr, Organist and Choirmaster at South Wigston Parish Church in Leicestershire, maintains a substantial choir of boys and men, even offering choral scholarships.
Dr Robin Walton is a recently retired church musician and highly regarded university teacher, and a stalwart of RSCM South Africa who has contributed significantly to their education programme.
Hon RSCM
Honorary Membership of the RSCM is awarded for work in church music or the RSCM which is distinguished, but not primarily musical or liturgical.
Daphne Allison, the first national secretary of RSCM South Africa.
Stuart Robinson, the first coordinator for RSCM Wales/Cymru.
Certificate of Special Service
The following receive this award for significant work in Church Music or for the RSCM at local level:
June Cox (Isle of Wight), Ken Gadd (Oxford), John Holmes (Lincoln), Francis Hanson (Lincoln),
Colin Jones (Morgannwg), Larry Richardson (St David’s), George Swift (Liverpool), and Alan Treloar (Honorary Secretary, RSCM Northern Cathedral Singers)
Notes for Editors
A full transcript of the presentation will be available shortly after the Celebration Day service.
The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is an educational charity and promotes the best use of music in worship, church life, and the wider community. The RSCM also publishes music and training resources, and organises courses, short workshops and activities. With over 8,500 affiliates, members and friends in over 40 countries it is an international network, supported by over 750 volunteers and a small team of staff based throughout the UK.
You are invited to send a photographer / reporter to the Celebration Day service in Llandaff Cathedral on May 12th 2007. Please arrange this with us in advance.
PDFs of RSCM news releases are generally available here (go to "News Releases").
Photographs for media use are available from the Media & Picture Gallery (go to "RSCM picture gallery").
For further enquiries contact:
Stuart Robinson:
RSCM Media Relations Organiser
srobinson@rscm.com
T: 01492 556378 / 07831 827701
or
Heather Bamber
RSCM Marketing & Communications Administrator
E:
hbamber@rscm.com
T: 01722 424847 or 07786 331364
05/03/2007