First students to receive new Sacred Music Diploma
Nine church musicians from all over the UK and one from Canada, will be the very first to receive a new diploma conferred by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM).
The diploma (DipRSCM) will be conferred on students who successfully complete the RSCM’s Sacred Music Studies course, run in partnership with the University of Wales, Bangor. The very first diplomas will be presented at the annual RSCM Celebration Day service, which this year takes place in Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, on 12th May 2007. In addition, the first award will be made of the Licentiate Diploma of the Royal School of Church Music (LRSCM) for postgraduate studies in Sacred Music.
Recipients are as follows:
LRSCM: Patricia Lynch (North Berwick, East Lothian)
DipRSCM: David Barton (Gloucester), Ann Duthie (Northwich), Paul Isom (Brasted),
Nicholas Kerwin (Bexleyheath), Donald Maclagan (Kingussie), Sandra Paterson (Altrincham), Donald Russell (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), Anthony Smith (Lancaster), Ray Stythe-Jones (Llandudno).
The Sacred Music Studies course was launched three years ago by Professor John Harper, the RSCM’s Director General. “These represent the first students to complete the new awards, and some of their work has been outstanding. A further twenty-two students have completed the Preliminary Certificate and the intermediate CertRSCM,” he said. “All our students work at a distance, using their own churches as centres of study. That requires tremendous devotion, often on top of a demanding full-time job, as well as their regular commitment as music director or organist. They are to be warmly congratulated.”
Notes for Editors
The Sacred Music Studies programme is run by the RSCM in partnership with the University of Wales Bangor. The course (which is modular) is intended primarily for those who either lead, or are training to lead, music or worship in their church. This could include choral and organ scholars. The course is also open to those who wish to study music in worship. Awards are made as students make progress through the course; the RSCM Preliminary Certificate is awarded after satisfactory completion of three modules, followed by CertRSCM, culminating in DipRSCM for completion of the whole course of 12 modules.
The RSCM will also be conferring a number of honorary awards at the Celebration Day service in Llandaff Cathedral on 12th May; a separate release has already been issued about this and is available on the media section of the RSCM website.
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 small team of staff based throughout the UK.
For further information about the RSCM, go to the website www.rscm.com
Photographs for media use are available from the Media & Picture Gallery http://www.rscm.com/media
You are invited to send a photographer / reporter to the Celebration Day service in Llandaff Cathedral on 12th May 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
23/03/2007