New choir recruits wanted (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

New choir recruits wanted

CIRENCESTER Parish Church music department, under its new director Neil Shepherd, is embarking on a recruitment campaign to attract more singers and musicians to membership of its music programme.

New recruits are needed for the church's three choirs, including boys, girls and adults.

Children should be aged between seven and 16 and must be prepared to undergo a simple voice and reading test. Teenagers and adults are particularly welcome.

In addition, Neil is hoping to begin a new music group to lead music at more informal services. Prospective instrumentalists should have reasonable music reading ability.

The music department of the Parish Church has a busy year in store. In addition to Sunday services, plans include concerts, visits to sing in several cathedrals, a CD recording, a recording for BBC Radio Two, a four day residency at Truro Cathedral in July and two foreign tours are planned for April 2004.

The church is to host a variety of concerts during 2003 and will be the venue for a Celebrity Choral Workshop with the conductor of the most famous choir in the world, Stephen Cleobury, director of music at Kings College Chapel in Cambridge.

Neil Shepherd is a professional musician now living in Cirencester, who was previously organist and director of music at Keynsham Parish Church between Bath and Bristol.

While at Keynsham he took the music department to great heights which included a tour to Paris in July 2002, where he conducted the world premiere of Messe Pour Notre Dame by world famous Gloucestershire organist, David Briggs, in Notre Dame Cathedral.

While in Keynsham Neil also recorded two CDs with the church choir, both of which were broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Two and Classic FM.

In December 2002, Neil directed two editions of the popular BBC Two programme, Sunday Half Hour, when each broadcast was heard by over half a million people.

The choirs frequently contributed to BBC local radio, including a live concert for BBC Radio Bristol as part of the BBC Historyfest in 2002.

"Prospective singers and musicians should preferably be able to read music to a reasonable standard and be fairly flexible, willing to sing a wide range of music from plainsong to jazz," said Neil.

"The Parish Church has a long established musical tradition, going back centuries rather than years and the present aim is to continue this tradition, while at the same time using a rather broader repertoire of music.

"The main purpose of the choirs and musicians is to lead the worship at the church, Sunday by Sunday. The choirs undertake a variety of other activities and have an active social life as well. We look forward to welcoming additional singers and musicians into what is already quite a lively music department."

For more information contact Neil Shepherd on 01285 657709, e-mail: neilshepherd@aol.com