Ulster Society of Organists and Choirmasters

U.S.O.C. Newsletter - December 2006

JANUARY 2007 EVENT

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2007

Seapatrick Parish Church, Banbridge Saturday 6th January 2007 at 3pm

This is a particularly significant AGM, as a proposal to change our name will be considered. See over page for details . . . .

Directions - From Belfast and all areas except south Down and Armagh: take the A1 from the MI Sprucefield junction, in the direction of Dublin etc. Turn right at the first sign for Banbridge. Head towards the town centre. After about a mile, you come to a junction at traffic lights. Straight on is for the town centre and right for Lurgan. The church is at this junction so turn right for Lurgan and then immediately left in to the car park. Members approaching through Banbridge centre should turn left at the Lurgan Road.

Teas and Coffees will be served, and committee member Stephen Timpany, organist of the church, will give a very brief demonstration of the recently rebuilt organ afterwards and members will have the opportunity to play also.

The four options for the name change which are to be put to the AGM are:

 

  1. ULSTER SOCIETY OF ORGANISTS AND CHOIRMASTERS (no change)
  2. ULSTER SOCIETY OF ORGANISTS AND CHOIR DIRECTORS
  3. ULSTER SOCIETY OF ORGANISTS AND CHORAL DIRECTORS
  4. ULSTER SOCIETY OF ORGANISTS AND CHORAL CONDUCTORS

 

And we are proposing the following revised set of objects, to bring them up-to-date:

The objects of the Society are:

  1. to provide an inclusive society for the performance, appreciation and widening of interest in organ and choral music;
  2. to encourage high standards;
  3. to provide support to, and encourage the development of, organists and choir directors*.

* to be amended in light of the decision on the name

For information the existing objects are:

  1. To bind together organists and choirmasters in a common bond of devotion to their profession, and to maintain in them a lively interest in all aspects of their work.
  2. To promote high standards in the selection and performance of organ and choral music, especially in the service of the Church.
  3. To promote a wider public interest in organ and choral music.
  4. To uphold the status of the profession and to safeguard its interests.

News

New Cathedral Administrator, Hugh Kennedy at St Peter’s Cathedral, is organising a series of Musical Masses once a month, beginning with MELISMA on Saturday 13th January at 7pm. They will be performing Lobo’s Missa Vox Clamantis and other early works. The series will continue once a month with Renaissance, Methodist College Chapel Choir, Cappella Caeciliana, and Martin Baker from Westminster Cathedral offering an Organ Mass later in the year. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience music and liturgy at its best, in a wonderful new building and organ.

Concerts, Recitals and Special Occasions

 

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS, SERVICES and CONCERTS

Priory Singers Advent Carol Service – Bangor Abbey – Sunday 3rd December, 7pm

“Cathedral Christmas” – Wednesday 13th December, 8pm Belfast Cathedral Choir
Renaissance
Melisma
Loughside Chamber Choir
Tickets £10 and £8 concession, 028 9032 8332 and on the door

Priory Singers Carols by Candlelight – St Molua’s – Thursday 21st December, 8pm

A Christmas Meditation with Sciolto, directed by Paul Berry with Jonathan Geoghegan (organ).
7.30 pm, Thursday, 21st December 2006, St Finnian’s Church, Cregagh Park, Belfast.
The evening will feature a mixture of poetry, prose and music reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, including works by Bach, Gibbons and Pärt.
Admission is free with a collection in aid of Church funds.

“A Ceremony of Carols” with MELISMA – Friday 22nd December, 7.30pm
Performing Britten’s SATB version of the Ceremony of Carols with Harp
And light hearted Christmas Music, for tickets call - 07799 886668

Belfast Cathedral, Donegall Street

24th December – Carols with Concentio, 3pm
A ninety minute act of worship with carols and anthems
24th December – Nine Lessons and Carols, 8pm
24th December – Midnight Eucharist, 11pm
Mozart Missa Brevis in D, Lully Lulla – Kenneth Leighton, O magnum mysterium – Lauridsen
Christmas Day – Cathedral Eucharist, 11am

 

 

Friday 16 February 2007, 7.45pm, OLIVIER LATRY, Ulster Hall

On this evening there will be a recital in the Ulster Hall by the astounding organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Olivier Latry.

Whatever you do, make this the first entry in your 2007 diary-and miss this concert at your peril. The concert will conclude with an improvisation on a submitted theme so this is your chance to hear one of the world’s masters of this art. Tickets £10 from the Ulster Hall Box Office (02890 323900) and tell your friends - this will be a great opportunity to spread the word about the organ far and wide.

 

Vacant Consoles

Stay up to date with local Organists posts at www.usoc.org.uk

Website

Don’t forget to stay up to date on the web - www.usoc.org.uk

where you can find sources of Teachers, Concert Listings, and much more . . . . . .

Books

"Joyful Noise? The Why, What and How of music in church". This 257-page book is intended to be a comprehensive resource for church organists, dealing in three sections with "Why" we should have church music (a theological and pastoral rationale), with "what" it can consist of (choosing hymns and music for services, weddings and funerals, arranging concerts, etc) and "how" to get the most out of your abilities to produce organ music that will really lead congregations securely in hymns and psalms. It's intended to be very readable (and I'm told that it is!).

Further information (and extracts) is available on http://www.rishton.info/joyful.html, from where individual copies can also be ordered.

Secretary

Any items of interest or news, or church posts you wish to advertise, should be sent to me at music@belfastcathedral.org or Director of Music, Belfast Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2HB. Thank you. Philip Stopford, Hon.Sec.

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