An organ recital at our Church in aid of a new Stained Glass Window
The Service Police Memorial Church at Southwick Park is blessed to have the considerable musical talents of Canon Peter Gould at its disposal.
Portsmouth born, Peter studied organ, piano and cello at the Royal Academy of Music where he gained prizes for choir training, organ accompaniment and harmony, a raft of diplomas and an honorary Associateship of the Academy. He then went to Bretton Hall College in Yorkshire, to gain a Diploma in Education. In 1974, he was appointed Assistant-Organist at Wakefield Cathedral and music teacher at Honley High School in Huddersfield where he would go on to become Head of Music, Assistant-Chorus Master to the Wakefield Festival Chorus and conductor of the Cawthorne Choral Society. During his time at Wakefield, Peter was involved in many professional recordings and broadcasts with the choir.
In 1983, Peter became Master of the Music at Derby Cathedral, a post he combined with part-time teaching at Derby’s High and Grammar schools. As Master he also recruited and trained the Cathedral’s choirs forming both treble lines from scratch: the boys upon his arrival in 1983 and the girls in 1997. Touring each year in England, but also in Germany, France & Italy, the choirs performed regularly on BBC radio and television and made several recordings. Peter was also accompanist to the Derby Bach Choir for five years.
As an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music for 33-years, Peter has examined students in countries as far afield as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and the Republic of Ireland and closer to home in England, Scotland and Wales. He has collected further honorary degrees from the University of Derby and in 2012, was made an honorary Lay Canon of Derby Cathedral. In 2013, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Guild of Church Musicians and in 2015, an Associateship of the Royal School of Church Music. In his final two years in Derby, Peter toured every Anglican Church in the diocese giving short recitals on no fewer than 278 different organs (see ‘Peter’s Pipe Pilgrimage’ on YouTube).
Having given recitals in St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Birmingham Town Hall, King’s College Cambridge and York Minster and at least one organ recital in Derby Cathedral in each of the 32 years that he was organist there, Peter has kindly agreed to give a recital at Southwick Park in aid of the ‘D-Day Stained Glass Window Appeal’ at our Service Police Memorial Church on Tuesday, July 10th.
Starting at 1700 hours the recital will be followed by drinks and ‘nibbles’ in the Officers’ Mess until 2000 hrs. Individual tickets cost £15.00 and a double ticket £25.00. All proceeds will go to the D-Day Stained Glass Window Appeal with tickets sold on a strictly first-come-first basis on application to:
Organ Recital Regimental Headquarters, Royal Military Police The Old Stables (PP 38), Southwick House, Southwick Park, Near Fareham, Hampshire. PO17 6EJ