The Choir of Bradford Cathedral holds regular ‘Safari Evensongs’, where they head to local churches to sing. On Sunday 25th February the Girls Choir will head to St Michael and All Angels on Haworth Main Street for the first of these for 2024. Revd Oli Preston, Rector of Haworth and Cross Roads, says:“We are very excited to welcome Bradford Cathedral Choir to St Michael and All Angels’, Haworth Parish Church. As 'the Bronte Church’ we have many people come to connect with the cultural heritage here, so it is wonderful to host Safari Evensong as another cultural highlight for visitors and locals to engage with. “Evensong is one of the jewels of the Anglican tradition - a spacious, beautiful, peaceful space to encounter the presence of God. We have memories of having a choir here, and would love to explore opportunities for regularly gathering people for choral singing here again.” Anthony Gray, Assistant Director of Music at Bradford Cathedral, says:“'We are delighted to be continuing our long running series of 'Safari Evensongs' into 2024. The girl choristers are hugely looking forward to visiting Haworth at the end of February, singing music by Philip Moore, Ed Jones and Thomas Ebdon. “Our Safari Evensong events are both a great opportunity to showcase our fabulous choir in parishes around our Diocese, as well as being a brilliant learning opportunity for our young singers, who I know will love being part of this service in Haworth.” All are welcome to Choral Evensong at St Michael and All Angels, Haworth Main Street, BD22 8DP, on Sunday 25th February at 3:30pm. For more information, please contact Revd Oli Preston on rector@haworthchurch.co.uk or 07912622646. The Bradford Cathedral Choir sing at many services throughout the week, and full details and service times can be found on the Bradford Cathedral website.
They will be leading the music at an extra Evensong on the Saturday, and at both our choral services on the Sunday. We spoke to Helen Reece from the choir and Henry Mansell Duckett - founder member, first bass and treasurer; to find out more about what to expect from the weekend. 1. Could you tell us a little bit about how the Peterborough Chamber Choir was established? Henry: The choir was founded in 1984 by the late Henk Kamminga, a Dutch national. Initially known as the Thorpe Hall Chamber Choir, its likely function at the outset was probably seen to be primarily in the secular realm; though many of the then participants were already very familiar with church and cathedral music. (Thorpe Hall is a Commonwealth-Period mansion in Peterborough - of national significance. At the time it seemed set to become a Museum and Arts Centre, with the choir as it were as ‘artists in residence’, until the scheme collapsed.) As the choir was already deputising, inter alia, for cathedral choirs, and the majority of singers were then reasonably local to Peterborough, it was soon decided that the name should be changed to that of its present moniker / soubriquet. Since then the choir’s principal raison d’etre has concentrated on deputising for cathedral choirs and similar - in short, in any ‘places where they sing’ - its peregrinations taking it to all corners of England and Wales (even, occasionally, to Peterborough too!) with some ‘quasi-ecumenical’ excursions to the near-Continent. During roughly the second half of its existence direct links with Peterborough have tended to loosen somewhat as the pool of participants from whom each event may be drawn has spread nationally. Consequently nearly all preparation by way of rehearsal must now needs be done ‘on the road’.” We have always regarded it a considerable privilege to be able to deputise for the resident professionals in a varied range of often spectacular, always fascinating, medieval to modern Foundations, and always aim to do our best to maintain the exceptional standards of cathedral music in this country - which may be said to be unparalleled. 2. Helen: How did you get involved, and could you tell us about your role within the choir? Helen: I have been in the choir since 2007. I met one of our sopranos, Hilary, through another choir and also through a teaching connection. I was teaching her youngest daughter class music (Year 4 African Drumming) and she came into the school as a parent helper to run the orchestra, choir and handbells. She introduced me to the choir. I sing Alto 2 in the choir, or any other upper voice part I’m required to sing (or tenor!). I have on occasion also conducted the choir. Since Henk’s passing I have taken on the administrator role. My role often also involves organising a group meal on the Saturday evening. 3. The choir last sang in Bradford in 2019 - what are your memories of that time? Helen: I remember how calm and peaceful it was in Bradford Cathedral. I also remember reading a lesson at both Evensong Services. 4. You are leading the music at Choral Evensong on the Saturday and our two services on the Sunday. Could you tell us a little about the music programme for the three services and why you chose the pieces? Helen: The music we have chosen is appropriate to the season of Lent and covers repertoire from composers of the British Isles (England and Ireland), spanning 400 years and demonstrating the rich musical heritage and repertoire of the Anglican church. We are singing the responses, second set, by the contemporary English composer, Paul Spicer at both Saturday and Sunday Evensong services. We sang them in Coventry Cathedral a year ago and they worked really well. One of our sopranos sang them at St Paul’s recently and requested that we sing them again. The rest of the Saturday Evensong celebrates the music of Adrian Batten (c1591 -c1637), another English composer, but of a much earlier period. Batten was active between the Reformation and the English Civil War, an important period for English church music. Batten is described as ‘the singing man of Westminster’. The music you will hear alternates between solo singing and full choir, underlain by an independent organ accompaniment. The Mass setting for Sunday Eucharist is by the English composer, John Ireland (1879-1962). Ireland studied composition with Charles Villier Stanford. He also took inspiration from French and Russian schools, namely Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky. No weekend with the Peterborough Chamber Choir would be complete without a work by Stanley Vann (1910 -2010) Vann was Master of the Music at Peterborough Cathedral from 1953 until 1977. Our Communion Motet is ‘Behold, how good and joyful’ composed in 1951. Sunday’s Choral Evensong features the music of the Irish composer, Charles Wood (1866 – 1926). We shall be singing his Canticles in D and the Anthem ‘Expectans Expectavi’. Wood had also been a pupil of Stanford. Indeed, he succeeded him in the role of Professor of Music at Cambridge University on Stanford’s death in 1924. The lyrics of Expectans Expectavi are taken from a poem by Charles Hamilton Sorley. The title can be translated as ‘I waited patiently for the Lord’. 5. How is the rest of 2024 shaping up for the choir? Helen: We have weekends planned this year in Wells, Newcastle, Beverley, Manchester, Llandaff and Ely. We also have an Evensong at St Paul’s. 6. How can people find out more about the choir online? Helen: We have a website (http://www.peterboroughchamberchoir.org.uk/) which gives a little of the history of the choir as well as all future planned weekends up until 2027. All are welcome to the Bradford Cathedral services with our visiting choir. They are Choral Evensong on Saturday 17th February at 5:30pm, and on Sunday 18th February Choral Eucharist (10:30am, also streamed live) and Choral Evensong (3:30pm). For more information, please visit the Bradford Cathedral website.
Bradford Cathedral will welcome the Peterborough Chamber Choir to lead the music at three services over the weekend of the 17th and 18th February 2024. The Peterborough Chamber Choir was founded in 1984, in Peterborough, by the late Henk Kamminga. After Henk passed away in January 2022 the choir has continued the musical legacy he left. The choir meets together for about seven weekends a year, as a Visiting Choir, in Cathedrals all over the UK, and they have sung in Europe, most recently in Holland and prior to that, in France and Belgium. The choir will return to Bradford for the first time since 2019, directed by Gary Sieling with the choir accompanied by their organist, Christopher Moore. They will be leading the music at Choral Evensong on Saturday 17th February at 5:30pm; at the Choral Eucharist at 10:30am on Sunday18th February (this service is also streamed on YouTube and Facebook); and Choral Evensong later that same day at 3:30pm. Henry Mansell Duckett, Founder Member, First Bass and Treasurer says: “We have always regarded it a considerable privilege to be able to deputise for the resident professionals in a varied range of often spectacular, always fascinating, medieval to modern Foundations, and always aim to do our best to maintain the exceptional standards of cathedral music in this country - which may be said to be unparalleled.” You can hear the Peterborough Chamber Choir at Bradford Cathedral’s Choral Eucharist on Sunday 18th February at 10:30am, as well at Choral Evensong services at 5:30pm on Saturday 17th February and the Sunday at 3:30pm. You can find out more in an interview at bradfordcathedral.org.uk/2024/02/05/peterborough-chamber-choir-2024/
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday – 14th February 2024. Bradford Cathedral will be marking this with a service of Choral Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes at 7pm, a service which is in addition to the two regular said services on the Wednesday morning at 8:15am and 10:15am. All are welcome at these services.The Riding Lights Theatre Company will also be bringing the revival of their acclaimed Passion Play - The Narrow Road by Paul Birch – to the Cathedral. The Passion Play – a dramatic recreation of the final days of Jesus Christ – will be performed on Wednesday 28th February at 7:30pm, with tickets available now from Ticket Source or via the Bradford Cathedral website. Other special events at Bradford Cathedral this Lent include a retreat morning with Bishop Toby on Saturday 17th February at 10am; the World Day of Prayer service on Friday 1st March at 2pm; and a Prayer Vigil for International Peace - also on the World Day of Prayer – at 6pm. About Ash Wednesday The name ‘Ash Wednesday’ comes from the use of ashes on this day, which are an ancient sign of penitence. From the Middle Ages it became the custom to begin Lent by being marked in ash with the sign of the cross. Lent is the 40-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday. The length of Lent reflects Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, and is a time of study and devotion for Christians. Many Christians today use Lent as an opportunity to focus on an aspect of discipleship, such as prayer, fasting, study or service. Historically, many new Christians also prepared throughout Lent for their baptism, and entry into the life of God's Church, at Easter. The Revd Pete Gunstone, Minor Canon for Worship and Nurture, says: “Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, with an opportunity to embrace both our finitude and the mercy and power of God. We hope you can join us for our reflective worship at the start of Lent.” Watch and PrayThe Church of England’s central theme for Lent this year is ‘Watch + Pray’. “This Lent we are encouraged to wait expectantly for God to meet us and sustain us through the storms and trials we all face. “The Church of England’s Lent theme for 2024 is Watch and Pray: Wisdom and hope for Lent and life. “This Lent all of us are encouraged to draw on the wisdom of Black Spirituality, particularly the practice of “tarrying” (waiting) as a community to draw closer to Jesus and to each other.” The Season of Lent Alongside these extra services, the Cathedral’s regular pattern of worship continues. On Sundays these are the 8am Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer; the 10:30am Choral Eucharist; and the 3:30pm Choral Evensong. Other opportunities to gather for prayer include Morning and Evening Prayer online at 9am and 5:30pm; Midday Prayer at 12noon; Choral Evensong on Mondays and Tuesdays at 5:30pm; and services of Holy Communion on Wednesdays at 8:15am and 10:15am. For further details, please see the Bradford Cathedral website. The Very Revd Andy Bowerman, Dean of Bradford, says: “We would be delighted to invite you to join us in drawing closer to Jesus and each other this season. You will be sure of a generous and warm welcome.” Bradford Cathedral will also be holding services and events during Holy Week, which follows the season of Lent, with more information on these to follow. For more information about the season of Lent please visit bradfordcathedral.org.uk/lent.
