All Saints Alive 9

Summer Organ Courses Michael Stephens-Jones

This Summer I was fortunate to attend two organ At Easter I had applied for one of the two Organ courses. The first was “The Organ Scholar Scholarships offered by the Royal School of Experience” run by the Royal College of Church Music to work with their Summer Choral Organists, based at Trinity College, Cambridge. Course in Bath. I was delighted to be awarded There were 38 young organists, some from the Senior Scholarship to work with Edmund abroad, mainly those looking to apply for Aldhouse, Organist of Ely Cathedral, who was University scholarships in the near future. also a tutor on the Cambridge RCO course.

We had a team of excellent tutors, all prominent Based at Kingswood School, there were around organists and choral directors. Each day we had eighty young singers aged 8-24, mainly from four small group classes covering keyboard and parish church choirs. I was there to work & had liturgical skills required during service playing and been sent a huge pile of music to prepare in solo repertoire from different periods that we advance including a list of items I would had been asked to bring. accompany during services.

Constantly moving around 12 College chapels Throughout the week, for sessions in the heat, we were glad to be I played piano for treated to a rest listening to a daily recital by our rehearsals of the junior tutors & to have a chance for an evening of & senior houses punting. working with many experienced choral Each afternoon we rehearsed and performed directors & shared the accompanying of Choral Evensong, taking turns to play, conduct, services at Kingswood Chapel, St Stephens’s or sing. On Thursday, we moved to Ely Cathedral Church & Bath Abbey. When not playing I sang. for a recital by one of our tutors, Thomas Ospital Throughout, I received excellent tuition, from Paris and sang a moving Compline guidance & encouragement from Edmund & afterwards in the beautiful Lady Chapel. help from the Junior Scholar whom I already knew from previous years Oundle courses. On Saturday Highpoints of the week evening were being given seventeen responsibility to play for of us services when Edmund played at was elsewhere, and a public playing the superb organ recital in St in Bath Abbey over the John’s College Chapel, featuring a huge range weekend. of repertoire. Sunday afternoon saw the final Choral Evensong, also at St John’s, and led by Ed. Michael’s House Tutor for Christopher Robinson, a former Director of Music the RSCM week was Carl Jackson (DoM, Hampton Court there whose skill at moulding a choir to his wishes Palace). At about Michael’s was truly amazing and inspiring. It was an current age, Carl, a friend of incredible week where I was challenged to Mary, played for Martin & really dissect my playing and improve my skills. Mary’s wedding!