Bradford Cathedral is inviting you to this year’s ‘Cultural Climate Symposium’, taking place on Saturday 13th April 2024 from 1:30pm – 4:30pm, with a film showing at 6pm. The event is a collaboration between the Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission, the Cathedral, and members of the Bradford cultural sector. The symposium will include two theatrical explorations on the theme of climate change – Too Much Of Water and The Past Present – as well as a panel discussion about the role of faith communities and cultural representatives on influencing public discourse on this issue. The symposium will be followed, at 6pm in the de Lacy Centre, by the second date in a special monthly film club.‘Too Much Of Water’ - written and performed by Steve Scott-Bottoms – is an intimate storytelling show that explores the human impacts of flooding on ordinary people living in an ordinary town – and their struggles to remain resilient.The piece, originally commissioned for the Saltaire Festival in 2016, takes its name from the quote in Shakespeare’s Hamlet - “Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, and therefore I forbid my tears.”The narrative is based on personal interviews with residents in Shipley, West Yorkshire, and tells the story of the devastating floods that hit the town on Boxing Day 2015 and of the difficult aftermath.It will be a rare chance to see the piece, and it will be the first time it has been performed since the pandemic.Writer / performer Steve Scott-Bottoms, who is also co-chair of Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission’s Climate Adaptation Panel, says:“I am delighted to specially revive this piece for the Climate Symposium. I first performed it in Roberts Park in 2016 - in an area that had been underwater the previous year - but it remains very "present tense" - both because that's the tense I tell the story in, and because the same kinds of things keep happening in other places (and, of course, could happen again here).”The second piece – ‘The Past Present’ - will be a scratch performance of a new piece by Bradford writer / actor Ann Morgan, who has appeared at Bradford Cathedral at the annual Shakespeare performances by the Actors Community Theatre. It will be directed by the Revd Canon Ned Lunn.Writer Ann Morgan says about her piece:“When a drought causes a reservoir to dry up, it reveals the remains of an old village. A couple, who have set off in search of adventure - and possible long forgotten treasure - amongst the ruins, get more than they bargained for when they meet an old man along the way.“The old man, Sion, shares his memories with the couple (Sarah and Jack) of what really happened, as he tries to get them to understand the consequences for communities, cultures and the environment, in the hope that their generation will not make the same mistakes. Will Sion succeed?”There will also be a panel discussion on the day about the role of faith communities working with artists and the culture sector to influence public discourse on this issue. Speakers on this panel will include Amandeep Maan (Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission); Steve Scott-Bottoms; and Ben Pugh (Bradford 2025 / Bradford Producing Hub), and it will be chaired by Canon Ned Lunn.Amandeep Maan says:“We are delighted to be involved in this programme as faith communities have lots to contribute to the conversation of climate change and places of worship are also centres for education: we look forward to meeting people who do, and don't, belong to any particular faith, all are welcome as this topic affects us all.”At 6pm, in the de Lacy Centre in the Cathedral grounds, there will be the second date in the ‘Eco Film Club’, where there will be a showing of ‘A Life on Our Planet’, followed by discussion.The Revd Canon Ned Lunn, Canon for Intercultural Mission and the Arts, and the Chair of the Cathedral’s EcoGroup, says:“We are excited to be hosting another Cultural Climate Symposium after the success of last year's event. This year we are showcasing some theatrical explorations on the theme of climate change: ‘Too Much Of Water’ written and performed by Steve Scott-Bottoms and a new play written, ‘The Past Present’, by Ann Morgan, a new Bradford writer and performed by our friends the Actors Community Theatre (ACT).“At Bradford Cathedral we are committed to supporting and developing local artists and we know that professional artists emerge from a strong and vibrant amateur cultural environment. That is why we are excited to put these two pieces together and to reflect on them as part of the Symposium.”The Cultural Climate Symposium is part of Bradford Cathedral’s strategic commitment to the environment. Other events including the June ‘Tree of Life’ concert with international clarinettist Emma Johnson, performing an orchestral work responding to the climate emergency.The Cultural Climate Symposium takes place at Bradford Cathedral on Saturday 13th April 2024, from 1:30pm – 4:30pm. Tickets are £7 (+booking fee) and can be bought at climate-symposium.eventbrite.co.uk, or by calling the Bradford Cathedral office on 01274 77 77 20 between 9am – 2:45pm Monday – Friday.You can book your tickets for that evening’s Eco Film Club at eco-film-club-2.eventbrite.co.uk or by calling the Cathedral office. There is also a film showing of documentary ‘2040’, ahead of the Symposium, on Saturday 16th March at 6pm – tickets for that can be booked at eco-film-club-1.eventbrite.co.uk You can find out more about ‘Too Much Of Water’ – and download images - at vesperhill.org/performance/too-much-of-water. An interview with Steve Scott-Bottoms will be available online soon.
Bradford Cathedral is inviting you to join them for their annual Cathedral Fairtrade Breakfast ahead of their Mothering Sunday service on March 10th.At the breakfast, you will be served locally produced honey and butter as well as Fairtrade hot drinks, jam and marmalade and porridge – which will be much appreciated on a chilly March morning!The event will be run on a ‘Pay as you Feel’ basis (suggested donation of £4) to support the work of Transform Trade.“Money raised will enable Transform Trade to work with inspirational people in Bangladesh who are setting up ground-breaking shops – and transforming their communities through trade.“These community owned shops are all run and owned by women. They provide things families need and give women the chance to earn their own money – and take part in the social and business life of the community.”Elaine de Villiers, part of the organising team, says:“As we remember - on Mothering Sunday - the Mother Church that birthed and nurtured us in faith, we share fellowship over a simple but delicious breakfast, at the same time giving thanks to farmers and producers in low-income countries.“They are the ones most affected by climate change and are at the forefront of developing ways to adapt to its effects.Without their efforts the foods we love, like coffee, bananas and cocoa (chocolate!), could all become endangered species. Let’s enjoy our breakfast and support these farmers and producers, ensuring they are fairly treated and paid in a way that sustains them.”The Fairtrade Breakfast is held annually in March, usually within Fairtrade Fortnight, which has moved this year as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. Fairtrade Fortnight will instead take place from the 9th to the 22nd September – look out for other events happening then at Bradford Cathedral. The Bradford Cathedral Fairtrade Breakfast takes place from 8:45am – 10am on Sunday 10th March. To find out more – and to book your place – please visit https://bradfordcathedral.churchsuite.com/events/xfajnlox. The breakfast will be on a Pay As You Feel basis with donations going to support Transform Trade.
In this edition of 'Notes from an Organist' we discover more about them, and what to expect from their recital, including marking Woman Composer Sunday / International Women's Day with the music; how the UK differs from Canada musically; and their MA in Choral Conducting.Could you introduce yourself, how you got into music / become an organist and your musical journey to where you are today?I started playing the organ by accident, really. I played the piano, and I asked our local organist on a whim if I could ‘have a go’ on the organ, and he told me he’d give me lessons, which wasn’t quite what I’d had in mind…! But after a few lessons I was hooked. What can people expect from your recital at Bradford Cathedral?In celebration of Woman Composer Sunday, coming up on March 10th, my recital this week features the music of female composers for organ. I have tried to include something for everyone: there are grand French favourites like the Demessieux Te Deum, and the Chaminade Prélude, as well as lighter music by Amy Beach and Judith Weir. Why do you enjoy playing the organ?I enjoy the range of colour and dynamic contrast available on the organ, as well as the variety of contexts in which organ can be used, and the huge repertoire available, spanning centuries, all of which mean that as an organist you are always learning and developing. Do you have a particular favourite piece out of those you are playing?The Prélude by Josephine Boulay is a real hidden gem, and I hope more organists will learn her music. This season’s theme is ‘Trios and Trio Sonatas’ which features JS Bach’s six trio sonatas in full. Are you playing one and, if so, which one is it, why did you choose this one, and why are you looking forward to playing it?To continue the theme of ‘Trios’ that runs through this season’s recitals, I am playing Trio in C by Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. She was a German composer and patron of the arts, and this trio is a delightful and cheerful little piece which shows off her skill as a composer. What are your hopes or plans musically for 2024?This year I am looking forward to recording a CD with the Cathedral Singers of Christ Church, Oxford, which will feature specially commissioned music for that choir, including a new mass setting by Grayston Ives.You are originally from Canada. How do you find the music of the UK compared to there?There are many interesting things happening musically in Canada by many talented musicians, in particular coming from my alma mater, McGill University. One major difference, however, is that liturgical music-making is not a tradition in the same way that it is here, which means that daily sung worship is rare, and so the chorister experience is less easily accessible to Canadian children.You have played at many places and collaborated with some prestigious groups – have there been any particularly memorable times?One of my favourite recent experiences was having the opportunity to conduct the BBC Singers in a masterclass at RAM as part of my MA course.You are currently pursuing an MA in Choral Conducting – how is that going?This has been a great experience so far, which has inspired me to think about not only my conducting more deeply, but my music-making in general in a different way. I’m enjoying the challenge!This recital will be themed for International Women's Day and will feature a programme of all female composers. How did you come to pick those particular organists, and are any of their pieces a favourite to play?I tried to choose music that I think the audience would enjoy. It’s worth saying, however, that it wasn’t difficult to find repertoire to play by women, it was more difficult to narrow my selection down to the length of one recital! There’s such a wealth of music out there and it’s very easy to access, so I’d encourage organists and enthusiasts to do a bit of exploration and find some new favourites for their repertoire or playlists!You are the Director of Music for ‘The Cathedral Singers’ of Christ Church Oxford. How do you find that role?I love working with the Cathedral Singers at Christ Church. The choir sing any time the Cathedral Choirs are not in residence, which adds up to about 110 services each year, and we have our own organ and choral scholars as well. It has been a real privilege to be part of such a supportive and skilled Music Department. I’m thrilled to be in the role.You recently started as the Director of RSCM Voices South – how are you settling in to that role?This is a relatively new role for me, but I have enjoyed it so far!Your X profile says ‘Conductor, organist, singer, cheese enthusiast…’ so we have to ask – what is favourite cheese and why?I’m partial to a camembert…Also you went ‘wand shopping’ back in September. How is your wand work shaping up?!We’re getting there – I’ve since had to purchase 2 more batons just to get the right shape for my hand!Finally, how would you sum up your upcoming recital at Bradford Cathedral?A celebration of the music of women composers through the ages.You can join us on Wednesday 6th March at 1pm to hear Hilary's organ recital, with an optional £4 buffet lunch beforehand at 12:30pm. You can find out more about them on Twitter / X. You can discover more about our organ recital season on our dedicated page.
To celebrate the 190th birthday of William Morris, Bradford Cathedral is running a special Morris & Co. stained glass window tour on Saturday 23rd March 2024. The famous Victorian artist and designer William Morris founded Morris & Co. and, along with renowned figures such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and Ford Madox Brown, created many pieces of stunning stained glass, some early examples of which are on display in four locations in Bradford Cathedral. The stained glass also includes a figure, recently discovered to have been designed by William De Morgan. The tour will be run twice, once at 11:30am and again at 1:30pm, and tickets are £6 + booking fee, available via the Bradford Cathedral website or on Eventbrite. The tour of Bradford Cathedral will also include an appreciation of the magnificent West Window, a beautiful Pre-Raphaelite window designed by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, and will be followed by light refreshments. Maggie Myers, Director of Education and Visitors, says:“In recent years, we have started to provide opportunities for visitors to come and find out more about some of the heritage treasures here at Bradford Cathedral. We are very fortunate to have some beautiful and significant early stained glass work by William Morris and other notable artists from the Victorian period. “The tour will visit each of the 4 areas in the building where the Morris & Co. glass is located and there will also be an appreciation of the stunning West Window by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. If you are an art lover, a stained glass window lover or a fan of all things Victorian, then this is the tour for you! “We provided similar tours on our recent Heritage Open Day about William Morris and they were very popular, which is why we have decided to run them again. Places are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.” The Morris & Co. Stained Glass Window Tour takes place on Saturday 23rd March at 11:30am and again at 1:30pm. Places are £6 + booking fee and can be booked at https://morris-tour-morning.eventbrite.co.uk/ or https://morris-tour-afternoon.eventbrite.co.uk/
