2018 season announced

After several months of work our administrator has finally put the last pieces into place for our 2018 season, so we can now officially announce all of our future dates and venues from this point onwards.

All of it will be rewarding and enjoyable, but in particular we're looking forward to our second proper foray across the border, and having sung in Carlisle Cathedral in 2016 we travel a little further south and lots further east to the magnificent Durham Cathedral.  Another highlight will undoubtedly be taking part in a Mass in King's College Chapel in Aberdeen, featuring music by Francois Couperin (1668-1733) which has been a particular interest and study subject of our Musical Director Frikki Walker who had the opportunity to travel to France in June this year with a group of fellow organists from the Royal College of Organists to play various organs including one in the Palace of Versailles.

Friday 11th to Sunday 13th August 2017
Annual Residential Rehearsal Weekend, Scottish Police College, Tulliallan Castle (NB no public access)

9th September 2017
St John's Episcopal Church, Dumfries
Choral Evensong at 4pm

7th October 2017
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow
Choral Evensong at 4pm

11th November 2017
St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, Dundee
Choral Evensong at 4pm

17th February 2018
Bothwell Parish Church
Choral Evensong at 4pm

24th March 2018
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow
Chrism Mass at 4pm

19th May 2018
Durham Cathedral
Choral Evensong at 5.15pm

2nd June 2018
Along with choirs from around Scotland we will be taking part in the RSCM Scotland Triennial Festival in Dundee

Friday 10th to Sunday 12th August 2018
Annual Residential Rehearsal Weekend, Scottish Police College, Tulliallan Castle (NB no public access)

15th September 2018
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
Choral Evensong at 4pm

6th October 2018
King's College Chapel, Aberdeen
Mass at 4pm, featuring music by Couperin

17th November 2018
Dunblane Cathedral
Choral Evensong at 4pm

We are a non-denominational choir that sings in churches of varying traditions, and often in them we sing Choral Evensong which although of Anglican origin is a beautiful Christian service which lends itself wonderfully to some of the most fantastic music ever written.  The following was spotted by our administrator in a cathedral in England and they did not object when they were asked if we could use it, so for several years it has been included in all of our Choral Evensong Orders of Service:

Some have said that Choral Evensong seems to be more of a concert that an act of worship. That would be true if the singing were offered to those present – but it isn’t. It is offered by the Choir, on behalf of the whole church, to Almighty God – who alone is the audience to all worship; we are part of that offering, even though we say little and sing even less; by our presence and our silent assent we are worshipping as we allow the Choir – doing something beautiful for God who creates, preserves and redeems us – to lift our hearts beyond the mundane into the realms of the eternal and glorious life of heaven.

Season's end, brrrr!

Our 2015 season has now drawn to a close, after our very successful and enjoyable Choral Evensong yesterday with members of our wee sister choir RSCM Young Scottish Voices in Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh's Old Town.

Around 40 adults and 15 youngsters braved the rather low temperatures of the church (despite the heating being on, it had a battle on its hands against the cold Edinburgh chill!) and sang to a very appreciative congregation of almost 40 hardy souls.

Despite the temperature we enjoyed a warm welcome from Old Saint Paul's, and we're looking forward to returning there in the future.  Perhaps we'll schedule it for summer next time though!

The next time we meet as a choir is on February 6th 2016, when we make the journey south to Carlisle Cathedral to sing Choral Evensong at 5.30pm.  Several choir members have already booked overnight accommodation in Carlisle, so it looks like it's going to be a great social occasion as well as a musical one.  Will it be warmer? Here's hoping!

Old Saint Paul's 2015

After a great sing yesterday in Perth our 2015 season draws to a close with a collaboration between the adults of RSCM Scottish Voices, and the youngsters of our wee sister choir Young Scottish Voices, when at 4pm on Saturday 14th November we will join forces to sing a splendid Choral Evensong in the delightfully atmospheric Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh, directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied by Richard Walmsley.

• Introit: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (S S Wesley)
• Responses: Richard Seal
• Psalms: 123, 124, 125 (chants by George Thalben-Ball, Samuel Wesley, and Charles H Lloyd)
• Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in A (Herbert Sumsion)
• Anthem: Love Divine (Howard Goodall)

Looking ahead, our 2016 season will kick off on 6th February next year when we are delighted to be making a first foray across Hadrian's Wall to sing Choral Evensong at 5.30pm in Carlisle Cathedral. 

Watch this space for more details, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter @RSCMScotVoices

2016 season announced

Hot off the press, our choir members have just been enjoying our annual residential rehearsal weekend which this year has been at the Scottish Police College, Tulliallan Castle, and during the weekend all of the venues for our 2016 season were announced, so including the remaining three events of 2015 all of our confirmed future activities can now be revealed to the world as:

• 5th Sep 2015, 4pm - St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban - Choral Evensong
  
• 3rd Oct 2015, 4pm - St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth - Choral Evensong
• 14th Nov 2015, 4pm - Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh - Joint Choral Evensong with Young Scottish Voices
• 6th Feb 2016, 5.30pm - Carlisle Cathedral - Choral Evensong
• 19th Mar 2016,  4pm - St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow- Choral Evensong
• 9th Apr 2016 - Peterborough Cathedral - RSCM Cathedral Singers Golden Jubilee Celebration
• 14th May 2016, 4pm - Dunblane Cathedral - Joint Choral Evensong with Young Scottish Voices
• 19th to 21st Aug 2016 - Residential Rehearsal Weekend (no public performance)
• 10th Sep 2016, 4pm - Bothwell Parish Church - Choral Evensong
• 8th Oct 2016, 4pm - St Cuthbert's Parish Church, Edinburgh - Choral Evensong
• 12th Nov 2016, 4pm - Culross Abbey - Joint service with Young Scottish Voices

With so many lovely cathedrals, abbeys, and churches around the country it's sometimes hard paring down our wish-list to something workable, but 2016 looks like it's going to be a great year with a couple of welcome return visits (St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow and Dunblane Cathedral), and the rest being first visits for us, including of course our first real foray across the border to our friends in England.

Full details of each service will be announced here and on Twitter nearer the time, and of course dates and venues are always published in The Network which is distributed to RSCM members and affiliated churches alongside Church Music Quarterly.

Epiphany Carols by Candlelight

Come along to Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh on Saturday 17th January at 4pm to hear us sing a wonderful selection of Epiphany Carols, as part of Greyfriars' Spark Festival of Worship & the Arts.  Then stay around for a ceilidh afterwards (see contact details on the poster for how to book a place for the ceilidh).

Another year closes

A glorious Choral Evensong yesterday in St Ninian's Cathedral in Perth marked the end of a most enjoyable 2014 season for the members of RSCM Scottish Voices.

Our thoughts turn now to 2015 which we kick off in grand style on 17th January in Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh where we will present Epiphany Carols by Candlelight at 4pm.

The key to it all

St Giles' Cathedral

A great day was had by all in St Giles' Cathedral in the heart of Edinburgh yesterday as under the direction of Richard Walmsley we sang Choral Evensong including music by Peter Phillips, Humphrey Clucas, Herbert Howells, Franz Josef Haydn, and Frikki Walker, accompanied on the truly stunning cathedral organ by St Giles' assistant organist Peter Backhouse.

It turned out to be great weather considering the forecast was for heavy rain, and inside the cathedral was bright and flooded with sunlight, which helped us clearly see the massive number of tourists wandering round and peering over our shoulders to see what we were up to during the rehearsals!

One personal highlight was when the administrator was handed the key, the only key in existence, for the Queen's Thistle Chapel where we robed prior to the service, which you will see from the photo is a PROPER key!

Our next service, the last of 2014, is only four weeks from now, on Saturday 1st November 2014 in St Ninian's Cathedral, Perth when we will sing Choral Evensong for All Saints' Day at 4pm.  Watch this space for further details, and follow us on Twitter @RSCMScotVoices

Cantoris rehearsing

Key to the Thistle Chapel

St Giles

On Saturday 4th October 2014 we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, directed by Richard Walmsley and accompanied by Pater Backhouse, assistant organist at St Giles' Cathedral.

Introit: O Virum Mirabilem (Peter Philips)
Responses: Humphrey Clucas
Psalm: 65 (chant by Percy Buck)
Canticles: Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis "St Paul's Service" (Herbert Howells)
Anthem: The heavens are telling (Franz Josef Haydn)
Vesper: Prayer for Peace (Frikki Walker)

This is our first visit to St Giles, one of the most significant churchs in Scotland, and we're very much looking forward to it!

2015 season announced

The dates and venues for our 2015 season have just been announced to the choir at our residential rehearsal weekend at Stirling University, so the wider world can now know!

All of our future events are listed below, including those still to come in the second half of our 2014 season:

Saturday 6th September 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, High St, Dundee

Saturday 4th October 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh

Saturday 1st November 2014
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth


Saturday 17th January 2015
Epiphany Carol Service by Candlelight at 4pm
Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh

Saturday 7th March 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Mary's Parish Church, Haddington

Saturday 9th May 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Margaret's former Episcopal Church, Braemar, Royal Deeside

Having been recently saved from a perilous condition, St Margaret's is now becoming the base for all sorts of musical events in the beautiful village of Braemar which is just along from Balmoral Castle, the home of Her Majesty the Queen (Royal Patron of the Royal School of Church Music). Although not operating as a church now, the team looking after the building agree with us that this would be a nice opportunity to hark back to former times whilst still firmly looking forward to what the future holds for the building.

Saturday 6th June 2015
RSCM Scotland Triennial Festival
Directed by Frikki Walker, accompanied by Richard Walmsley
St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow

Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2015
Annual residential rehearsal weekend
This does not involve any public performance or access

Saturday 5th September 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban

This will be a first visit to Oban for the choir, and we're very much looking forward to visiting this glorious part of Scotland where the RSCM is very much supported.

Saturday 3rd October 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth
*NB for reasons outwith our control this is a different venue to that originally advertised here

Saturday 14th November 2015
Choral Evensong at 4pm
Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh

This will be a joint service with Young Scottish Voices

Moons and Junes

Our choristers are an undeniably talented bunch, and there are a couple of performances of a concert coming up which feature our very own Sadie Maskery on vocals which are well worth checking out if you can get to either.

The first performance is on Wednesday 6th August 2014 at 7.30pm in the Masonic Halls in North Berwick, and you can find details and buy tickets (from only £6) on the Fringe by the Sea website.

The other, for which the poster is reproduced here, is free (but donations would be very welcome) and is at 7.05pm on Tuesday 12th August in the tiny intimate venue of Ciao Roma, 64 South Bridge, Edinburgh.

Moons and Junes - Romantic songs from Gershwin to the Summer of Love

As part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (PBH Free Fringe) Graham Cumberland, classical guitarist, and Sadie Maskery, mezzo soprano, take you on a journey from the first kiss to the bitter (but oh so interesting) ends of love in (nearly) an hour of mellow jazz and popular music.

2014 dates and venues

Hot off the press, our choir members have just been singing in our annual residential rehearsal weekend, and during the weekend all of our dates and venues for our 2014 season have been announced.  All of what follows, and more, can be found on our Future Services and Events page which will be updated with more specific information of times and music list as it all becomes available.  The information below includes the rest of our 2013 dates as well as the 2014 ones, and all dates are Saturdays.

On 14th September 2013 at 4pm we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, in the beautiful city of Inverness.  This will be our first visit to Inverness, and all of the choir are very much looking forward to it, particularly our two members who live in Elgin who will have a significantly shorter trip than usual!

On 12th October 2013 we will be departing from our normal services, and will instead be taking part in a concert at 7.30pm in the historic Dunfermline Abbey.  It's a concert in conjunction with The Carnegie UK Trust, in their 100th year, and it's entitled 'Most Elevating of Voices' - The Musical Legacy of Andrew Carnegie: a transatlantic celebration.

As well as hearing RSCM Scottish Voices sing, this will also be an opportunity to hear the organ played by the exceptionally talented Michael Bawtree, who although Scottish based is very much in demand internationally as an organist and choir director.  You can read more about Michael on a Herald article here and on Glasgow Chamber Choir's website here

The first 15 minutes of the concert will be in the old nave (by kind permission of Historic Scotland) and we will then move to the newer (heated and lit!) Abbey to complete the evening.

The concert will include music by Thomas Weelkes, Thomas Tallis, William Byrd, Peter Philips, George Dyson, Herbert Howells, Edgar Bainton, Charles Villiers Stanford, and George Frederick Handel.

The transatlantic element of this is that on Wednesday 20th November 2013 the other half of the celebration takes place in the Cathedral Church of St John the Divine, New York City, USA, and there is quite a lot of music in common between the two concerts.  Sadly we don't get to travel to New York to sing, but conversely they don't get to come to Scotland either!  There is no charge for attending the Dunfermline concert, but it's by ticket only and they are being issued by The Carnegie UK Trust so to reserve yours please contact the Trust by email to centenary@carnegieuk.org or call their office on 01383 721445.

The press release from the Carnegie UK Trust is as follows:

To celebrate the musical legacy of Andrew Carnegie and the Carnegie UK Trust, there will twinned concerts in Scotland and the USA, featuring what Carnegie called ‘that most elevating of voices’ – the pipe organ, as well as choral music particularly associated with the Carnegie UK Trust. Carnegie funded 7,689 organs throughout the world, with over 4000 in the USA and over 3000 in the UK. The Carnegie UK Trust funded the pioneering publication in the 1920s of ten volumes of Tudor church music which was to transform musical life in the UK and throughout the world. In Dunfermline, the RSCM Scottish Voices choir will sing some of this beautiful repertoire in the mediaeval nave of Dunfermline Abbey, with the rest of the programme containing music by a former chair of the Trust, Sir George Dyson, as well as some of the finest repertoire for choir and organ, sung in the Abbey church.

On 23rd November 2013 we return to St Aloysius' RC Church, Rose St, Glasgow, where at 5.45pm we will take part in their Vigil Mass on the eve of the festival of Christ the King.  This is an absolutely stunning building, both visually and acoustically, and we are very much looking forward to our return visit there, having first sung in the Vigil Mass in 2011.

Our 2014 season commences on 15th February 2014 at 4pm with a first visit to the lovely town of Linlithgow, where we will be singing in the beautiful St Michael's Parish Church, right next to Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots

On 5th April 2014, the eve of Passion Sunday, at 4pm we make our first foray into the Scottish Borders, when we sing in Peebles Old Parish Church, a lovely building overlooking the high street of Peebles.

They say that time flies when you're having fun, and this certainly seems to be the case with RSCM Scottish Voices, because having sung our first ever service in January 2009 our 2014 season is our fifth as a choir, so to celebrate this anniversary we've decided to put on a special Choral Evensong on 31st May 2014 at 4pm in the historic Paisley Abbey, and we're going to be inviting members of our sister choirs RSCM Young Scottish Voices, RSCM Voices North, RSCM Voices West, and RSCM Voices South, to join us.  So there will be singers from all over Great Britain converging on Paisley to raise the roof of the Abbey, which itself has been celebrating a rather more splendid anniversary year in 2013, being 850 years old!

Our Musical Director Frikki Walker is Director of Music at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Glasgow and many of our members also sing in the cathedral choir there.  Our choir is grateful for a variety of support we receive from St Mary's so we always enjoy a visit to what has become, despite our membership being drawn from all over Scotland, almost "home" territory.  On 14th June 2014, the eve of Trinity Sunday, we will be singing Choral Evensong in St Mary's Cathedral at 4pm, and doubtless it'll be followed by some of the best socialising we engage in throughout the year, as the cathedral (and specifically the cathedral choir members) know how to throw a party!

Our annual residential rehearsal weekend will take place from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th August 2014.  The venue has still to be decided, we'll have a think about how well Stirling University has just suited us this weekend and decide whether we want to return there or not, but in any case it involves no public performance or access, it's purely rehearsing and socialising.

Another welcome yet overdue return visit will be on 6th September 2014 when we travel to St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Dundee, to sing Choral Evensong at 4pm.  Our previous visit back in 2010 was memorable not just for the music we sang, but for the outstanding welcome we received from the cathedral, and in particular Stuart Muir and his choir members.

It's a year of first visits, and although it's taken us five years to get something scheduled, our trip to sing Choral Evensong in the very historic St Giles Cathedral on Edinburgh's Royal Mile on 4th October 2014 at 4pm is one to which we're really looking forward.

Our 2014 season will draw to a close with another eagerly anticipated return visit, this time to the stamping ground of our Assistant Musical Director Richard Walmsley who is also the Organist and Master of the Choristers in St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral in Perth, where we will sing Choral Evensong at 4pm on 1st November 2014.

So, by the end of 2014, our fifth anniversary year, we will have sung in abbeys, cathedrals and significant churches throughout a large chunk of the Scottish mainland, from Dumfries in the south west to Inverness in the north west, Peebles in the Borders to Aberdeen in the north east.  We know there's a lot more of Scotland to be visited, and it's in our plans to visit further north than Inverness, (perhaps St Magnus Cathedral on Orkney, maybe Shetland), further west than Glasgow (Oban springs to mind, as does perhaps the tiny yet charming Cathedral of the Isles in Millport on Cumbrae), and further into the Scottish Borders (oh wouldn't it be great to be able to sing in one of the ruined Borders Abbeys).  But all of that's for the future.  Watch this space.  Or better still, come and hear us, maybe even come and join us!

RSCM Celebration Day

The 2013 RSCM Celebration Day service takes place next Saturday, 25 May, at 4.30pm in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.  The cathedral choir, RSCM Scottish Voices, and RSCM Young Scottish Voices will join with massed choirs to celebrate the work of the RSCM world-wide, and awards are presented to many people from all parts of the globe for their contributions to the work of the RSCM.

The conductor of the massed choir will be Andrew Reid (Director of the RSCM), with Matthew Beetschen conducting some of the music. The organist is Donald Hunt, Assistant Organist at the Cathedral, and the service will be led by the Vice Provost, The Revd Canon John McLuckie.

Those receiving awards during the service are listed below.

Fellow of the RSCM:
Mr Lindsay Gray - formerly Director of the RSCM

Mr Gordon Appleton is also awarded Fellowship of the RSCM, but is unable to be present at this service.

Associate of the RSCM:
Mr Matthew Beetschen - Director of Music and Organist at Dunblane Cathedral, Chairman of RSCM Scotland

Reverend Malcolm Chalmers - Acting President of RSCM South Africa and Chairman of the Northern Branch

Mr Timothy Lees - Music director and organist, Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and member of the RSCM Eastern Cape Branch

Mrs Patricia Lynch LRSCM - formerly Secretary of RSCM Scotland, trainer and developer of music resources for churches with small congregations

Mr Michael McConnell - formerly Organist and Choirmaster at St Joseph’s Cathedral Dunedin, New Zealand, member of the RSCM Otago & Southland Branch committee and Special Commissioner for the RSCM

Dr June Nixon - organist, choir trainer and composer, formerly Organist and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, Australia

Mr David Iliff is also awarded Associateship of the RSCM, but is unable to be present at this service

Honorary Member of the RSCM:
Mr Barry Williams - legal adviser to the RSCM years, and co-author of Everything Else an Organist Should Know

RSCM Sacred Music Studies DipRSCM:
Mrs Janet Holland
Ms Wynne Simister
Mr Sam Adams
Miss Jennifer Ball
Ms Fiona Carlile

RSCM Sacred Music Studies CertRSCM:
Mr Dean Roberts

The following RSCM-affiliated churches will be represented by singers in the Celebration Day massed choir:

Bearsden, All Saints Episcopal
Bridge of Allan, St Saviour
Colvend, Southwick & Kirkbean
Dalmahoy, St Mary
Dunblane Cathedral
Edinburgh, St Columba’s Episcopal
Edinburgh, St Ninian’s Episcopal
Edinburgh, St Peter
Helensburgh, St Michael and All Angels
Largs, St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal
Newlands, Glasgow, St Margaret’s Episcopal
North Berwick, St Baldred’s Episcopal Church Choir
North Berwick, St Baldred’s Episcopal Church Chamber Choir
Oban, St John’s Cathedral
Rosyth, St Margaret’s Scottish Episcopal
Stirling, Holy Trinity Episcopal

Choir member receives honour

MANY congratulations to Pat Lynch, Secretary of RSCM Scotland who also happens to sing alto with RSCM Scottish Voices, and to Matthew Beetschen, Chair of RSCM Scotland, who are each to be awarded the honour of Associate of the Royal School of Church Music (ARSCM) at the RSCM celebration Day service on 25th May 2013 in St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, a service at which our choir will be singing.

Well done to both of them!

The full press release on the RSCM Website relating to the 2013 honours is as follows:

Two well-known church musicians are among those to receive honorary awards from the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) next year. Lindsay Gray and Gordon Appleton, who both worked for the RSCM, are to receive Fellowships (FRSCM). Other recipients include cathedral organists from Scotland, New Zealand and South Africa. The main awards will be presented at a special service in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh on 25th May 2013.

Honorary awards are conferred by the RSCM Council for outstanding contributions to church music, and range from Fellowship (FRSCM) and Associateship (ARSCM) to Honorary Membership and Certificate of Special Service. Nominations are received from RSCM volunteers all over the world.

The RSCM has the power to confer awards and diplomas - Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music (FRSCM) is awarded for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of international significance, or for exceptional musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM. Associate of the Royal School of Church Music (ARSCM) is awarded for achievements in church music and/or liturgy of national significance, or for important musical and/or liturgical work within the RSCM. Honorary member of the RSCM (HonRSCM) is awarded for exceptional or very significant work that has contributed to the cause of church music and/or liturgy at international or national levels, or within the RSCM, but which is not primarily musical or liturgical. Certificate of Special Service is given for significant administrative work as a voluntary officer or member of staff within the RSCM; or an award for a significant contribution to church music and/or liturgy at a local level.

Two Fellowships (FRSCM) are being awarded in 2013; Lindsay Gray (from Cardiff) was Director of RSCM from 2008 until 2012. Before that he was Headmaster of Llandaff Cathedral School, where he founded and directed the cathedral girls’ choir. Lindsay is described by the RSCM Council as an outstanding director, and has raised the profile of the RSCM nationally and internationally. Gordon Appleton (from Ripon) worked for the RSCM for nineteen years in several senior posts, including regional director and adviser in the north of England. He also directed RSCM Voices North, and played a key role in the development of church music in Australia, South Africa and Europe.

Those receiving Associateships (ARSCM) include two from Scotland. Matthew Beetschen has been Director of Music and Organist at Dunblane Cathedral since 1992, where he has built up a large voluntary choir. Pat Lynch has served as Secretary of RSCM Scotland, and has provided training and worship resources for the Scottish Episcopal Church. David Iliff is being honoured for outstanding editorial work on RSCM publications including photocopiable choral resources such as The Carol Book and Songs, Psalms & Spirituals. David has recently retired as Director of Music at Malvern Priory.

Barry Williams who advises the RSCM on legal and contractual issues, and relationships between clergy and musicians, is to be made an Honorary Member of the RSCM (HonRSCM).

Commenting on the 2013 Awards, Andrew Reid, Director of the RSCM says, “There are so many people who give of their time and talents to sustain music in worship that it would be impossible to recognise them all. Nevertheless, it is a great privilege for the RSCM to celebrate these particular musicians whose dedication to music in their communities and spheres of influence has profoundly affected the worship of others.”

Awards will be presented at a special Celebration Day service in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh on Saturday 25th May 2013. "We always enjoy Celebration Day each year,” says Lord Brian Gill, Chairman of the RSCM Council and Scotland’s most senior judge. “It is our opportunity publicly to honour those whose unselfish efforts have advanced the work of the RSCM, both at home and abroad. I am looking forward to welcoming everyone to Scotland!”

The full 2013 list of those to receive Honorary Awards from the Royal School of Church Music is as follows:

Fellows of the RSCM (FRSCM)

Gordon Appleton has given outstanding service to the RSCM and to church music over more than 30 years, most recently as Director of Voluntary Networks and Regional Music Adviser for the North of England. Gordon has also directed RSCM Voices North with distinction, led RSCM courses and played a key role in the development of church music in Australia, South Africa and Europe.

Lindsay Gray has been an outstanding Director of the RSCM. From a significant career in education he has maintained a passionate commitment to nurturing the musical abilities of young people, and has sought to ensure the future of church music by training the next generation of musicians. He has raised the profile of the RSCM nationally and internationally, worked hard to invigorate the network of volunteers and has been an excellent leader and motivator.

Associates of the RSCM (ARSCM)

Matthew Beetschen has been Director of Music and Organist at Dunblane Cathedral since 1992. As an organist he is a superb recitalist, advocate and teacher. As a choir trainer he has built up a large voluntary cathedral choir especially concentrating on musical training of boys and girls. Matthew has been Chairman of RSCM Scotland for eight years.

Malcolm Chalmers is Headmaster of St Martin’s Preparatory School in Johannesburg and Master of Music at St Boniface, Germiston, South Africa. He has served as Chairman of the Northern Branch of the RSCM in South Africa for five years, and has initiated youth choral programmes, singing festivals and three national Summer Schools.

David Iliff has done outstanding editorial and type-setting work on the RSCM’s photocopiable resources The Carol Book, The Carol Book Supplement, Season by Season, and Songs, Psalms & Spirituals. David has recently retired as Director of Music at Malvern Priory, concluding a 50-year career directing music in churches.

Timothy Lees has been an outstanding music director and organist at the Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and an invaluable member of the RSCM Eastern Cape Branch. Timothy was Royal Organist for the Sultan of Oman 1990–2001 and has been Director of Music in several schools in the UK.

Pat Lynch has made an outstanding contribution to church music in Scotland over many years, particularly to the Scottish Episcopal Church, providing resources for worship and cantor training. She has served as secretary of the RSCM Scotland Committee from 2005 to 2012, running courses and training days as well as handling administration.

Michael McConnell has given 50 years’ service to church music at St Joseph’s Cathedral Dunedin, NZ. Michael was a member of the RSCM Otago & Southland Branch committee for 30 years and in 1991 was appointed a Special Commissioner for the RSCM. He has contributed to RSCM Summer Schools and helped organize and lead RSCM festival services.

Dr June Nixon is known internationally as an organist, choir trainer and composer. In 2013 she will complete 40 years’ service as Organist and Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, Australia.

Honorary Member of the RSCM (HonRSCM)

Barry Williams has advised the RSCM for over 20 years on legal questions, in particular relating to contracts and relationships between clergy, PCCs and musicians. He has also led RSCM workshops on these topics and co-authored with Robert Leach a helpful book Everything Else an Organist Should Know.

Certificate of Special Service

These are awarded at local events to those who have given outstanding service to their Branch or Area:

Nigel Bates, Oxford Area
Ken Diffey, Ely Area
Richard Hill, Northumbria Area
Michael Jones, Liverpool Area
Nigel Perona-Wright, Guildford Area
Paul Rose, Peterborough & Northampton Area
Derek Sadler, Liverpool Area
Marjorie Simmance, Lincoln Area
Hilary Spurgeon, Isle of Wight District
Barbara Stout, RSCM South Africa, Eastern Cape Branch
Brian Watson, RSCM Australia, NSW Branch
Ada Wrightson, Lincoln Area

Chapter House Singers & Glasgow Chamber Choir

RSCM Scottish Voices is made up of singers from all over Scotland who are members of other choirs too.

In the spirit of mutual cooperation we're very happy to include details of the activities of some of those choirs here, so below you will see posters for two forthcoming ones, firstly for The Chapter House Singers from Edinburgh who will be singing Faure's Requiem, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and Janacek's Lord's Prayer in St Mary's Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh on Saturday 2nd June, and secondly for Glasgow Chamber Choir who will be performing a programme of Baltic music from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Germany, on Saturday 9th June at 7.30pm in Hyndland Parish Church, Glasgow, and on Sunday 10th June at 3pm in St John's Episcopal Church, Princes St, Edinburgh.

Chapter House Singers

Glasgow Chamber Choir

Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh

Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church on Jeffrey St in Edinburgh (right next to Waverley Station) is the next place you can hear RSCM Scottish Voices sing, on Saturday 28th April at 4pm when we shall be singing Choral Evensong.

The music we will be performing is:

Introit: O sons and daughters (Walford Davies)
Responses: Clucas
Canticles: Murrill in E
Anthem: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem (Stanford)
Final Responses: Naylor

Come along to this fine building and join us in a celebration of Easter!

Enter by the Carubber's Close door.

Perth and Old Saint Paul's

After our successful and very enjoyable recital in the Church of the Holy Rude in Stirling yesterday, the next opportunity to hear RSCM Scottish Voices sing is when members join forces with other local choirs to sing Handel's Messiah under the direction of Richard Walmsley in St Ninian's Episcopal Cathedral, Perth, on Saturday 31st March 2012.  Further details will be listed here when available.

The next time you can hear us on our own is during Choral Evensong on Saturday 28th April 2012 in Old Saint Paul's Church, Jeffrey St, Edinburgh. The music list will be announced here soon.

Omission from CMQ

The latest edition of the Royal School of Church Music's rather excellent publication Church Music Quarterly (CMQ) with its sister publication The Network, unfortunately contains a couple of errors by omission whereby technology has conspired against publishing details of two of our forthcoming events, a visit to Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh on Saturday 28th April, and a visit to Dunfermline Abbey on Saturday 19th May.

Rest assured, despite these visits not being listed in the official RSCM magazine, we WILL be going to each and you just need to check back here for further details like the music lists in due course.

Durham Cathedral Choir

Durham Cathedral Choir Scottish Tour

Having already mentioned the RCO Choral Conducting Workshop taking place in Edinburgh on 24th March, between Thursday 22nd - Sunday 25th March the world famous Durham Cathedral Choir will be taking part in their tour of Scotland and if you can make it along to any of them you'd be in for a choral treat. 

On a personal note, Durham was my local "big" cathedral when I lived in the North East of England for a few years and it's close to my heart, although sadly it's one in which I've yet to sing other than in the congregation at Evensong.

Thanks to Katie from the Music Departrment at Durham Cathedral for managing to source a version of the poster I can upload here (albeit, as she says, it's a bit faint), and the info on that poster is reproduced below.  Click on the image to see it in a slightly larger size.

Of particular note, just in case you saw a previous version of the poster anywhere, is that the concert on 24th and services on 25th are in St John's Church, not St Cuthbert's as was listed on the original publicity (and which I only just noticed had changed after I originally posted this, hence the need for a quick edit!).

Tickets for students and under 18s are free.

Thursday 22nd March 7.30pm
Concert in St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen
for ticket information please email music@durhamcathedral.co.uk

Friday 23rd March 8pm
Concert in St Salvator's Chapel, St Andrews
admission by programme

Saturday 24th March 1pm
Concert in St John's Church, Princes St, Edinburgh
free admission - retiring collection

Sunday 25th March
Morning services at St John's Church, Princes St, Edinburgh
9.30am Matins
10.30am Sung Eucharist

Music to include James MacMillan's Missa Dunelmi

for more information email music@durhamcathedral.co.uk

Edinburgh organ recitals

To celebrate the recent refurbishment of the organ in St Peter's Episcopal Church, Lutton Place, Edinburgh EH8 9PE, there is to be a series of organ recitals, all beginning at 7.30pm, and with a retiring collection to defray expenses.  The details below are taken from the church's own website.

Friday 21st October 2012 - Dr John Kitchen
Amongst many hats, John is the Director of Music at Old St Paul’s, the ‘Mother’ church of St Peter’s, Edinburgh City and University Organist of Edinburgh, and is greatly involved in teaching and promoting the organ.

Friday 4th November 2012 - Michael Harris
Master of Music of St Giles’ Cathedral, and a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, Michael is greatly involved in a wide variety of Edinburgh projects, especially in organ education.

Friday 18th November 2012 - Michael Bonaventure
A renowned recitalist, Michael, who is now London based, was Organist at St Peter’s between 1999 and 2003.

Friday 2nd December 2012 - Susan Landale
Having been born in Scotland and graduating from Edinburgh University, Susan was invited by the great French organist André Marchal to study with him in Paris, and has stayed there ever since. She is currently the Organist of Saint-Louis des Invalides, the Cathedral of the French Armed Forces, and in recognition of her world-wide career as a recitalist and teacher, in 2003 the Royal College of Organists awarded her the distinction of “Fellow honoris causa“. In 2008, she became the Honorary President of the Edinburgh Society of Organists.

Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh

On Saturday 28th April 2012 at 4pm RSCM Scottish Voices will be singing Choral Evensong in Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, 39 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DH, directed by Frikki Walker and accompanied on the organ by Geoffrey Woollatt.

The music will be

• Introit: O sons and daughters (Walford Davies)
• Responses: Clucas
• Canticles: Murrill in E
• Anthem: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem (Stanford
• Final Responses (Naylor)

Old Saint Paul's is a lovely building, set just off the Royal Mile within the confines of Edinburgh's Old Town, and the choir are very much looking forward to the visit.