St Mary’s Church, Ewell The Parish Choir
Chorister Prospectus Welcome!
St Mary’s has an amazingly talented Music Department, led by our Director of Music Jonathan Holmes. We are fortunate to have inherited a fine choral tradi on, which we are very keen to share. Being a chorister at St Mary’s is fun, life-enriching, and teaches knowledge and skills which remain for a life me. This booklet will let you know more about the opportuni es on offer at St Mary’s. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have any ques ons.
The Revd Russell Dewhurst Vicar of Ewell 1948 1958 1978
Why St Mary’s? Our Church has a long and dis nguished musical tradi on. There has probably been a choir at the church for around two hundred years, directed by the top musicians of the day. We can boast of the famed composer and organist William Tansur in the late 18th Century and William H. Harris who le us to take up the organist post at St. Georges Chapel Windsor, no less!
Tradi onally, St. Mary’s choristers have always picked up top prizes and awards at the RSCM’s award days at Guildford Cathedral. A very large propor on of our singers and organists have gone on to study at Oxbridge with an organ or choral scholarship.
We shall strive to give your child a free, top-notch musical educa on in a top-notch environment.
1988 1998 2008 What will this ‘musical educa on’ consist of?
Every week, before the main rehearsal, choristers do 45mins worth musical training. We use the Royal School of Church Music’s (RSCM) Voice for Life training scheme. This is a tried and tested course that teaches your child both singing and reading music simultaneously. There are several levels and each one completed results in a medal, presented by the Vicar, at the main Sunday service. More advanced choristers will be encouraged to compete for the RSCM’s Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. If gained, the chorister receives a cer ficate and a medal at a prize giving ceremony at Guildford Cathedral
A huge range of music is covered by the choir, ranging from early plainsong to more modern music thus increasing you’re child's knowledge of musical history.
Along with the Voice for Life scheme we tutor our choristers in music theory and prepare them for graded theory examina ons.
Of course it’s not all book work! Choristers will get free singing tui on too and if desired, organ tui on. RSCM Medals
In the choir, your child will be sing alongside experienced adult singers , who are always keen to pass on encouragement, ps and stories about choral singing. These inspiring individuals are one of the most important The Church’s Organ aspects of the musical educa on we provide.
What else do they do? As a full chorister, your child’s regular weekly metable would be as follows:
Friday
6.45-7.30: Chorister Training 7.30-8.30: Chorister Rehearsal (We prac se the music for the Sunday)
Sunday
Morning
8.30: Arrive, robe and collect music 8.45-9.20: Rehearsal 9.20-9.30: A short break (just enough me for squash and a biscuit!) 9.30-10.30: Sung Eucharist 10.30: Home me
Occasionally, up to twice a month, the choir sings Choral Ma ns at 11.00
Evening (Once a month)
4.15: Arrive, robe and collect music 4.30-5.15: Rehearsal 5.15-5.30: A short break (Cake and Juice!) 5.30-6.30: Choral Evensong 6.30: Home me
The metable does change. There are many other events that take place during the year.
• The Annual Civic Remembrance Service • The Carol Service • Various Concerts • Singing ‘Away’ at Cathedrals and Chapels
Its not all singing……………
The choir prides itself on its social life. The year is punctuated by many social events including:
The choir plays a large part at the civic • remembrance service The Bonfire Night Party • The Vicarage Party • Carols at the Wheatsheaf pub. • Choir BBQ (with bouncy castle!) • The Ewell Parish Fair
Evensong at Exeter College, Oxford
The Wheatsheaf Pub, Ewell The Music Department Who’s who?
Jonathan Holmes – Organist and Director of Music
Jonathan studied organ at The Royal College of Music under Richard Poppewell and subsequently Music at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he was Organ Scholar. He began teaching music at King's College School, Wimbledon, before moving to Wales, where he became Director of Music at Monmouth School. Monmouth School's Boys' Choir performed regularly with the BBC Na onal Orchestra of Wales and with Welsh Na onal Opera. He was appointed as Director of Music at Emanuel School in Ba ersea Rise, London SW11, during September 1997.
Maks Adach ARCO, ATCL – Senior Organ Scholar
Maks joined St Mary's in 2009. He has recently he has completed his A-Levels at the London Oratory School and two years of study at the Royal College of Music as a Junior Exhibi oner, under Daniel Moult. He is currently studying Organ at Trinity College of Music with Ann Elise Smoot and Richard Tanner and holds the Organ Scholarship of the Old Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich. He has been awarded the Organ Scholarship at Oriel College, Oxford from September 2012.
Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Allsopp - Junior Organ Scholar
Jonny joined the music department in 2011. He is an Organ Scholar at Kings College School , Wimbledon and studies under Ronny Krippner.
David Crick – Choir Administrator
William H. Hunt ‘St Mary’s Church, Ewell’ 1848
The Music Department St Mary's Ewell London Road Please contact the Director of Music Ewell Jonathan Holmes on 0208 393 5434 EPSOM or email: [email protected] Surrey for more informa on KT17 2AY Tel. 020 8393 2643