The following four projects outline my contributions made as a passionate, skilled musician, music educator, choir master, accompanist, music scholar and researcher since my arrival in the United Kingdom in September 2008. I shall treat each project individually and include various examples, responses and interviews with several musicians, educators and non-musicians. This written work will include figures, visual representation and some audio recordings.
Table of Contents
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
My first project - All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The History of All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard
1.3 Church Services
1.4 The Music Department at All Saints Church
1.4.1 The Pipe Organ
1.4.2 The All Saints Choir
1.5 The opportunity extended to me to participate in this project
1.6 The Orchestra
1.7 Repertoire
1.8 Response from a member of the public who attended the concert
My second project – Q3 Academy Choir, Great Barr, Birmingham
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The area of Great Barr, West Midlands in Birmingham
2.3 Overview of the Academy
2.4 The ethos of the school
2.5 A Word from the Sponsor
2.6 Vision for learning at the Academy
2.7 The two separate functions Service – July
2.7.1 The Annual Leavers’
2.7.2 The Shri Balaji Temple in Dudley Road East, Tividale – Oct
2.8 The repertoire
2.9 Performances
2.10 Other performances
2.11 Transportation
2.12 Rehearsals
2.13 Dress Code
2.14 Conclusion
2.15 References
Third project - Fortismere School, North London
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Curriculum
3.3 Key Stage
3.4 Key Stage
3.5 Sixth form
3.6 The Music Department
3.7 Topics covered in the music lessons
3.8 The New Music Block
Fourth project - O2 Concert, Voices For A Better World, London
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The venue
4.3 The organisers
4.4 The purpose of the show
4.5 The celebrities
4.6 The performance
4.7 The application
4.7.1 Meeting with the artistic and music director
4.7.2 Costs
5. Tickets
6. Rehearsals
7. Rehearsals with other choirs in Brentwood in Essex
8. The concert
9. The repertoire
10. Conclusion
11. References
12. Annexures A - P
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The following four projects outline my contributions made as a passionate, skilled musician, music educator, choir master, accompanist, music scholar and researcher since my arrival in the United Kingdom in September 2008. I shall treat each project individually and include various examples, responses and interviews with several musicians, educators and non-musicians. This written work will include figures, visual representation and some audio recordings.
To give you the reader a clear understanding I have included a map of the United Kingdom (figure 1).
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Fig 1 – Map of the United Kingdom
My first project will start close to London in the county of Bedfordshire (see figure 2) and then move towards my second project in the West Midlands.
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Fig 2 – Beds (Bedfordshire) to W. Midlands (West Midlands)
For my first project I will focus on the orchestral music contributions I have made in aid of a charitable event for the music department of the All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, from October – November 2008. As a visitor to the United Kingdom from South Africa, waiting for a work permit (which allows one to work in the UK) from the Home Office (UK Border Agency), I was allowed to volunteer and work without receiving remuneration for services rendered.
My second project started in February 2009 and ran until February 2010 following issue of a residence work permit for employment by the Q3 Academy in Great Barr, Birmingham. My position was as a Learning Consultant and the Head of the Music Department. My vision for the Academy (on which I fully concentrated in aid of this module) was to immediately create a school choir in order to profile the Academy and serve the greater community. This project was something very close to my heart and, over a period of time, successfully allowed students from various backgrounds to actively participate at various concerts listed.
First project - All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom
1.1 Introduction
The town of Leighton Buzzard (see figure 3) is located in the County of Bedfordshire which has a population of around 380 000 (see figure 4).
Leighton Buzzard itself has a population of around 33 000 and is located near the larger towns of Luton and Milton Keynes. It adjoins Linslade and the name Leighton Buzzard is sometimes used to refer to the combination of the two towns.
For local government purposes, the town is part of the Central Bedfordshire district and is administered jointly with Linslade as the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade.
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Fig 3 – Leighton Buzzard and Leighton-Linslade
Bedfordshire County
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The percentages on the pyramid represent the percentage of 'all males' (to the left) and the percentage of 'all females' (to the right) that are in that age group
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Fig 4 - Statistics of population in Bedfordshire
1.2 The History of All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard
Following formal interviews with the Music Director, Mr John Wearmouth, and the Parish Administrator, Ms Lindsey Bevis, I managed to gain information regarding the history of the church.
The church was built in 1277 and is in the Ouzel Valley Team Ministry in the St Albans Diocese of the Church of England. There is evidence that the present church is at least the second to stand on the site. It is built in an early English style dating from the mid 13th century. The building is visible from all approaches to the town - the 190 foot broach spire dominating the roofline as can be seen in figure 5 below. The exact location of the church can be determined in figure 6.
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Fig 5 – All Saints Church
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Fig 6 – Location of All Saints Church
According to Ms Lindsey Bevis:
There are services Monday to Saturday and on Sunday the parish family meets for worship at 8 a.m. Holy Communion; 9.15 a.m. Parish Eucharist (Sung with choir); 6 p.m. Evensong (with choir). In addition there is a less formal young families' Eucharist at 11.15 a.m. on the first and third Sunday and on the fourth Sunday Evensong is followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
All Saints is a happy church and welcomes visitors from all over the world.
The Church was severely damaged by fire in 1985. The fire happened just as a restoration programme was nearing completion. It destroyed most of the nave and chancel roofs and caused serious structural damage to the tower, spire, and the vestry areas and a number of the windows were damaged beyond repair. The ring of ten bells was lost as were both the organs. The total cost of the damage exceeded £1.5 million pounds (R 18 million rands).
Within 24 hours of the blaze the congregation had begun its second restoration programme in as many years. The 15th century roofs, described as the church’s tour de force, have been repaired and the fine carvings of angels and saints which adorned them have been repaired or replaced. The spire has been stitched and relined with fresh stone. The tower has been stabilised with a massive internal ring beam.
Ms Bevis concluded:
A new ring of twelve bells (thirteen with the sharp second) cast in the key of C sharp by Taylors of Loughborough has been hung. Each bell carries the name of one of the apostles, with the heaviest dedicated to St Peter. It is a heavier peal than most cathedrals and ranks 21st out of 92 rings of twelve in the world.
Although most of the fine Kempe stained glass in the church survived some windows were damaged. Replacements have been installed and attention is drawn to the Appleby window in the north aisle and to the archangel’s window in the south transept, both of which matches existing Kempe glass in the church and come from churches now closed or demolished. The tower altar is of Totternhoe clunch limestone, like most of the church, and weighs 3.4 tons.
A new extension has been added on the north side to provide much needed meeting space. It contains a coffee shop as well as toilets, a chapel, vestry and meeting rooms. Walking around the church visitors can see the medieval graffiti on the pillars, including the famous Simon and Nell group in the south transept.
The font pre-dates the present church; it was moved from the west end during rebuilding following the fire. The eagle lectern is thought to be the oldest of its type in Britain dating from the time of the original consecration of the building in the 13th century. The rehallowing mark, a cross in a circle, made by the Bishop of St Albans on 7 May 1989, is on the left pillar by the crossing steps.
If you look at figure 7 you will see the exact location near the Nave where the Charity Aid Orchestral concert was held.
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Fig 7 - Ground plan of All Saints Church
1.3 The Church Services
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Figure 8 above highlights the church services that took place.
1.4 The Music Department at All Saints Church
According to the Director of Music, Mr John Wearmouth, the music department at All Saints Church plays a pivotal role within the church and the community.
1.4.1 The Pipe Organ
I had the opportunity to perform on The Harrison and Harrison Organ (listed figure 9 and 10) which I found very exciting, having studied with Prof Albert Troskie in South Africa and knowing the importance of the music department at All Saints Church. I knew what contributions it made and offered the wider community in the area.
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Fig 9– The Harrison Organ at All Saints Church
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Fig 10 – The Harrison and Harrison Organ
The beautiful tones of this outstanding organ can be found by using the following link:
http://www.allsaintslb.org.uk/real/allsaintsorgan.ram.
This organ was build by Harrison and Harrison of Durham. It contains 2464 pipes, ranging from half an inch to 16 feet. It weighs over 6 tons. The coats of arms on the case are those of Lincoln - All Saints’ first diocese, St Albans - the present diocese, and Durham where the instrument was manufactured.
The following mechanical actions with electric draw stops are listed below (see figure 11).
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1.4.2 The All Saints Choir
I had the privilege to attend seven choir rehearsals under the direction of Mr John Wearmouth as choir master (see figure 12). The choir performs regularly presenting works from different genres to the community.
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Fig 12 – The All Saints Church Choir
Following a formal interview with Ms Lindsey Bevis, who also is the choir secretary, the following was confirmed.
How many years has the longest serving member of the choir been involved?
Well I'll tell you: 67! All Saints choir has been adding to the worship of our church for more than a century; of course in the early days it was made up of men and boys, but today it includes girls and women too.
We are a relatively small but a very mixed group of people. The life of a chorister is busy and demanding but it is also fun and rewarding. Children join us from about seven or eight years old and grow in all ways, not least in their knowledge and appreciation of music and the faith. When the time comes, they sometimes graduate to the back row with the adults or they move on to study away from home and begin their new lives. This year six of the senior trebles entered for the Bishop's and Dean's Award and all passed their tests.
The choir offers children and young people something very special - even if perhaps they might not always appreciate it until they are older. It gives them knowledge of music, an understanding of the Church, its liturgy and some of its history; it teaches the importance of working together - and it provides good friends of all ages outside of their normal circle of family and school pals. One added bonus is that they get the opportunity to sing at weddings - and this is paid!
The choir has social events organised by the choirmaster. There is much caring and sharing amongst our choir family, especially in each other's joys and sorrows, though most important of all we sing to the glory of God.
Having been part of this process helped me to understand the importance of the charity event and why I wanted to volunteer and contribute by participating in the community orchestra that performed at the church.
To listen to the Choir follow the four links given below to get an idea of the standard of performances delivered at All Saints Church:
http://www.allsaintslb.org.uk/real/wilcocks_angelus.ram
http://www.allsaintslb.org.uk/real/howells.ram
http://www.allsaintslb.org.uk/real/archer.ram
http://www.allsaintslb.org.uk/real/walmisley.ram
1.5 The opportunity extended to me to participate in this project
Following a telephone call and email from the Music Director, Mr John Wearmouth, in September 2008 I was formally invited to participate in a concert performed by the community orchestra and arranged as a charity event for the Music Department on Saturday, 8th November 2008. This was the first time in the history of the church that several professional musicians joined with amateurs to perform professional orchestral works with a community orchestra.
Frequently asked questions
What is this document about?
This document is a comprehensive language preview outlining contributions made by a musician, music educator, choir master, accompanist, music scholar, and researcher since their arrival in the United Kingdom in September 2008. It includes details about four different projects.
What are the four projects discussed in this document?
The four projects are:
- All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom (orchestral contributions for a charity event).
- Q3 Academy Choir, Great Barr, Birmingham (creating and running a school choir).
- Fortismere School, North London (details about the music curriculum).
- O2 Concert, Voices For A Better World, London (participation in a large concert).
What is the main focus of the first project (All Saints Church)?
The first project focuses on the author's participation in an orchestral event at All Saints Church in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, to raise money for the music department. It includes information about the church's history, services, music department, pipe organ, choir, and the orchestral performances.
Where is Leighton Buzzard located?
Leighton Buzzard is located in the County of Bedfordshire, near Luton and Milton Keynes. It adjoins Linslade and the name Leighton Buzzard is sometimes used to refer to the combination of the two towns.
What is the history of All Saints Church?
The church was built in 1277. There is evidence that the present church is at least the second to stand on the site. It is built in an early English style dating from the mid 13th century. It suffered severe fire damage in 1985 but has since been restored.
What is the significance of the pipe organ at All Saints Church?
The Harrison and Harrison organ at All Saints Church is a significant instrument with 2464 pipes. It is an important part of the church's music department and contributes to the services and performances.
What does the document say about the All Saints Choir?
The All Saints Choir performs regularly, presenting works from different genres. The choir welcomes members of all ages and abilities. They help enhance the church's worship services.
What was the author's role in the first project?
The author volunteered to participate in a concert performed by the community orchestra, arranged as a charity event for the Music Department at All Saints Church.
What is the focus of the second project (Q3 Academy Choir)?
The second project focuses on the author's work at Q3 Academy in Great Barr, Birmingham, where they established a school choir. This involved students from diverse backgrounds participating in various concerts.
What information does the document contain about the Fortismere School project?
The document provides information about the curriculum, key stages, sixth form, music department, and topics covered in music lessons at Fortismere School in North London.
What is the O2 Concert (Voices For A Better World) project about?
The O2 Concert project describes the author's participation in a large concert in London. It includes details about the venue, organizers, purpose of the show, celebrities involved, and the performance itself.
- Quote paper
- Mario Maxwell Müller (Author), 2011, Music in Service, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/273595
