November 2015
The Newsletter of
The Royal School of Church Music
Waikato Branch
St Andrew’s church choir, Epsom, Auckland, presenting a
concert of sacred and secular music in St Matthew’s Church,
Morrinsville. The choir was directed by Neil Shroff, with
pianist Leonie Lawson and organist David Brookes.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 1
Chairwoman’s comments
Dear RSCM family,
It was fantastic to end the year with a wellattended, happy gathering for our Choral
Festival at St Andrew’s in Cambridge last
weekend (31st October). We had a large
well-balanced choir, made up of singers
from Hamilton, Cambridge and Tauranga,
singing a lovely variety of pieces, lead with enthusiasm by
Jeremy Whimster. See Paula Spiers’ report on page 4 for more
details.
It has been a difficult year for your committee to stay
motivated, as we have had to postpone a couple of events due to
lack of support, so this was a timely encouragement. The Music
Sunday evensong at St Peter’s was also a lovely occasion with a
good turn-out, so maybe this is the type of event we should be
focussing on. At some stage in 2016, we will have a survey on
what it is that members like best about RSCM Waikato
activities, what is of no interest at all, and what you would like
to see us do which we currently don’t. The committee is an
excellent group of people dedicated to supporting church music,
in all its forms, in our region. We all acknowledge that times
have changed for the parish choir, but there is still a highlyvalued place for this type of music in our churches and we are
committed to offering support and activities around it, but we
do need input from our members too.
As a result of our Composition competition this year, there is a
lovely Advent work by Christopher Luke available to members.
St Peter’s Cathedral choir presented this at the Choral Festival
and it was very well received. See page 5 to find out where your
choir can find a copy.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 2
I wish you all well, once again, for your Advent and Christmas
festivities and music-making and look forward to your company
at our 2016 events.
Best wishes,
Rachael
Death of Sir David Willcocks
Lovers of church music all over the world were saddened by the
news of the death on 17th September of Sir David Willcocks.
Many of our readers will have known him personally, and none
of us can be unaware of his colossal contribution to music.
The RSCMNZ Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/rscmnz.org.nz) contains a number of
eulogies including the Guardian’s obituary.
Music Sunday in New Zealand
(The September 2015 issue of CMQ [Church Music Quarterly,
the RSCM magazine] contains a report from Robert Tait on the
way the New Zealand branches celebrated Music Sunday.)
RSCM Music Sunday has been celebrated during NZ ‘s midwinter with each of the country’s five branches celebrating on
or near to 21 June. Auckland held an RSCM-focused evensong
led by Anita Banbury, NZ’s Chief Voice for Life Examiner, and
her St Mary’s Singers. In Waikato, regional choirs combined at
St Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton for evensong, using Stanford in
B flat under the direction of Dr Rachael Griffiths-Hughes
(Waikato University), with an address by its chaplain, the Revd
Peter Lord Cowell, highlighting the work of the RSCM.
Wellington branch further honoured the work of the RSCM
with an organ recital by Visiting RSCM Director, Andrew Reid,
followed by a Workshop (inspired by Roy Tankersley, Branch
Chairman, and conducted by Andrew Reid) and then a
celebratory service at St Andrew’s on the Terrace (NZ’s oldest
Presbyterian Church). Canterbury celebrated the re-opening of
Knox Presbyterian Church (following its collapse as a result of
Notes – November 2015 – Page 3
the Christchurch earthquakes) with a gathering of choristers for
an afternoon of hymnody, and string quartet performances of
liturgically related items all under the leadership of John Linker,
Director of Music of Christchurch Cathedral and Paul Ellis,
RSCMNZ President. Otago & Southland branch was the venue
for a celebration visit from Christchurch Cathedral choristers
serving at morning worship at St Peter’s, Caversham and then
Branch Chairman, George Chittenden (who is Director of Music
at St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin’s Octagon) hosted the choir
as they sang for the Cathedral’s afternoon service recognising
Music Sunday.
Robert Tait, National Communications Councillor, RSCM NZ
Choral Festival
st
On Saturday, 31 October, some 50 singers from our region
assembled at St Andrew’s church,
Cambridge, for the branch’s annual
Choral Festival. A gathering of
choristers such as this is always
exciting with four works sung tutti,
selected and conducted by Jeremy
Whimster, and each choir offering
two works.
The highlight had to be the first performance of the work,
‘Creator of the stars of night’, by
Christopher Luke, Director of Music at
St Mary’s, New Plymouth, which won
our 2015 composition competition. St
Peter’s Cathedral Choir performed this
with evident pleasure, conducted by
Rachael Griffiths-Hughes. The
audience responded well to the melodic
wealth, the clarity of the part writing and the satisfying
structure. May we hear this many more times.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 4
The Cathedral Choir also sang Malcolm Archer’s ‘I Saw a New
Heaven’, the host choir sang Rutter’s ‘Blessing’ and ‘The
Prayer’, conducted by Vaughan Chetwynd, and the choir from
Tauranga’s Wesley Methodist Church sang ‘A Balm in Gilead’
and ‘Come Now’, which had a lovely running accompaniment.This too was conducted by Jeremy.
The tutti items were ‘Save us o Lord’ by Bairstow, ‘Christmas
Lullaby’ by Rutter, and ‘I’m gonna sing’, which gave those that
like to feel the rhythm with a little body movement the
opportunity!
The afternoon ended with Barnard’s setting of the RSCM
Prayer ‘Bless o Lord’. In truth it ended with a lovely afternoon
tea!
It was sad that Christopher Luke was unable to join us and sad
too that the Cathedral Singers were too involved with a
rehearsal for Carmina Burana for 1st November to come. The
committee welcomes advice of dates to be avoided because of
both church and choral society concerts, workshops and
rehearsals. In 2016 let us aim for at least ten choirs here!
Paula Spiers
(Readers can find a copy of the work by Christopher Luke on
the branch website. Go to http://www.rscmnz.org.nz, and clink
on ‘Branches’ and the ‘Waikato’. Editor)
RSCM Waikato
Branch activities 2016
Dates for branch activities in 2016 have been proposed. In all
cases, confirmation and other details will be published in the
next edition of Notes or by email.
Branch AGM, at which we plan to run a short workshop on the
various ways in which the Evensong/Compline canticle Nunc
Dimittis ‘the Song of Simeon’ has been and still is performed:
7th May. Venue to be announced.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 5
Music Sunday will be celebrated this coming year at Mt
Maunganui on 19th June.
We hope to hold the Youth Festival on 6th August, and
the Choral Festival in October.
RSCM (Waikato)
Composition Competition 2016
We are running this competition again in the coming year and
invite entries from young musicians no older than 22 years of
age. The prize is $500.
The compositions are to be settings of a benediction or blessing
text. There are many such texts to be found in prayer books, and
others can be located through the internet.
The work should have been composed in 2015-16 and not
previously performed. It can be a cappella or accompanied and
should be suitable for use in a church, chapel or school context.
Two copies of entries should be sent to the secretary (see last
page for contact details). For any further informaion that may be
required, please phone Paula Spiers (7) 981 1460.
Concert series in Tauranga
and Mt Maunganui
The Scholars Pro Musica chamber choir will be performing
Handel’s Messiah with the Auckland Baroque Orchestra on 21st
November at 7.30p.m. The performance will take place in St
Mary’s, as will the popular Advent carols and Nine Lessons and
Carols at 7.00p.m. on 29th November and 20th December
respectively. Further information at the website:
scholarspromusica.org.nz.
Concerts in New Plymouth
There are still two concerts at St Mary’s Cathedral, New
Plymouth, in its series of Lunchtime Organ Recitals:
Notes – November 2015 – Page 6
20th November at 12.15p.m. and the 2015 Christmas Organ
recital, at 2.00p.m. on Saturday 19th December.
A gold coin donation would be appreciated, and all recitals are
followed by refreshments on the Hatherly Hall.
Christmas concerts at Matamata
The Matamata Community Choir has been performing free
concerts of contemporary Christmas Music for 54 years.
Concerts are always held over the first weekend in December,
This year’s will take place on 3rd, 4th, and 5th December starting
at 7.30pm and 1.30pm on 6th December at All Saints’ Church,
cnr Broadway and Hohaia Streets in Matamata, admission free.
The choir has between 55-65 voices supported by a small
orchestra. This year’s conductor is David Qualtrough from Te
Aroha. David is an experienced conductor, who in the past has
conducted the NZ Men’s Choir. The music is based on the birth
of Christ, with several well-known carols, including an
arrangement of the ‘Sussex Carol’ by Phillip Stopford, and John
Rutter’s ‘Angel Carol’.
David Brookes will play 30 minutes of Christmas music on the
church organ before each concert.
Christmas concert at Stratford
On Sunday 6th December at 2.00p.m., there will be a Christmas
Concert, performed by the Stratford Singers, with Christopher J.
Luke, organ, at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Stratford
Centenary Arts Festival at St Peter’s, Hamilton
One hundred years ago last month, the foundation stone of St
Peter’s Cathedral was laid and the third (and present) church
building on the site opened some months later. This auspicious
centenary will be celebrated over the next twelve months with a
series of events, including four weekend festivals focussing on
the artistic activities of the cathedral.
The first of these festivals is a Centenary Art Festival on the
weekend of 21st – 22nd November.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 7
Visitors will have the opportunity to see and purchase works of
art by some of the Waikato’s finest artists, and will also be
offered a fascinating glimpse into the artistic life of the
cathedral.
A beautiful mixed-media work donated by Jane Whyte will be
offered by silent auction, there will be displays of floral art,
vestments, embroideries and tapestries in the cathedral and
refreshments on offer in the cathedral centre, alongside the
exhibition of paintings, photography, pottery, turned wood and
jewellery. Anyone interested in tapestry can add a stitch or two
to a new banner being made to commemorate the centenary – a
chance to be part of the next 100 years of history!
(Watch this space; the third of the four festivals, in August next
year, will be a music festival, celebrating the best in cathedral
style church music. Editor.)
Cantata Vespers at the Cathedral
21st November: Bach BWV 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die
Stimme. (soloists, chorus, strings, trumpet)
This service takes place during the Cathedral’s Arts Festival.
2016
20th February: Bach BWV 82, Ich habe genug (Jonathan Eyers,
bass, strings and oboe)
th
19 March: Bach BWV 182, Himmelskönig, sei wilkommen
(recorder, strings, chorus and solos)
th
16 April: Telemann TWV 1:1744, So gehst du hin? (two
oboes, strings, chorus, solos)
st
21 May: Graupner GWV 1141/30, Lobet den Herrn (strings,
chorus, solos)
Cantata vespers will all occur at 5.00p.m. at St Peter’s Cathedral
on the third Saturday of the month. Since they are religious
services, there is no admission charge, but there is a retiring
collection.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 8
St Peter’s Cathedral Book and Gift Shop
The shop stocks a wide range of CDs, mostly sacred music, but
also some serious secular music and of religious books.
Particularly for the coming seasons of Advent, Christmas and
Epiphany, there is some material which may be of interest to
readers:
CDs
Advent at St Paul’s, a selection of Advent music from Tudor
times to present
Katherine Jenkins My Christmas
Musica Sacra Christmas Spectacular
Tidings: Christmas with the Choir of Wellington Cathedral of St
Paul
Books
Revealed: A course uncovering Advent to Epiphany, Claire
Benton-Evans
The Echo of God: A six-week course from Advent to Epiphany,
David Adam
Watching & Waiting: A guide to the celebration of Advent,
Kenneth Stevenson
Do Nothing, Christmas is coming: An Advent calendar with a
difference, Stephen Cottrell
The Light of the World: 31 Days of Advent, Beryl Adamsbaum
Advent and Christmas services and music
St Andrew’s, Cambridge
Sunday, 22nd Nov.: St Andrew’s Choir and Organ Concert
2.30p.m., St Andrew’s.
Sunday, 29th Nov.: Patronal Festival Evensong, 6.00p.m., St
Andrew’s.
Saturday, 5th Dec., Christmas Concert, 11.00a.m. in Cambridge
Town Hall
Sunday, 13th Dec.: Carol Service, 7.00p.m., St Andrew’s.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 9
Sunday, 20th Dec.: St Andrew’s Choir sings Carol Service,
6.00p.m., at Matamata.
St Mary’s, Maunganui.
29th November, 7.00p.m.: Advent Carol service.
20th December, 7.00p.m.: Nine Lessons and Carols.
St Mary’s, Hamilton:
Christmas Eve: Children’s Mass and Carols at 6p.m. Carol
Service at 11.15p.m., followed by Midnight Mass. The
choir sings for these.
Christmas Day: Masses at 7.30a.m. and 10.30a.m.
St Mary’s, New Plymouth:
Sunday 29th November - 5.00p.m.
Service of Lessons & Carols for Advent; Choir of the Taranaki
Cathedral Church of St Mary and Ars Nova Choir with preservice organ music from 4.30p.m.
Wednesday 23rd December - 7.30p.m.
Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols; Choir of the Taranaki
Cathedral Church of St Mary with pre-service organ music
from 7.00p.m.
Thursday 24th December - 11.30p.m.
Midnight Mass; Choir of the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St
Mary with pre-service organ music from 11.00p.m.
Matamata
Carols at the Firth Tower.
On 22nd November at 2.00p.m. a carol service will be held at
this historic venue.
All Saints’ Church.
20th December - Choir of St Andrew’s, Cambridge, see above.
24th December-Midnight Eucharist.
This service will include the usual well-known Christmas carols
and organ music before, during and at the conclusion of the
service played by David Brookes.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 10
St Peter’s, Hamilton:
First Sunday of Advent, 29th November: 7.00p.m. Advent carol
service
Fourth Sunday of Advent, 20th December: 6.00p.m. Service of
Nine Lessons and Carols
Christmas Eve: 9.00p.m. Carol Service with the Cathedral
Singers, and 11.00p.m. Midnight Mass (choral)
Christmas Day: Choral Eucharist at 9.45a.m.
Events calendar for your diaries
21st Nov. Cantata Vespers: see above
7th May: Branch AGM. Venue to be announced.
15th May: closing date for entries in Composition Competition.
19th June: Music Sunday at Mt Maunganui.
6th August: Youth Festival.
October: Choral Festival.
Editor’s column
Many thanks yet again to those who have contributed material
for this issue.
Back to Messiah with the signature clip in July. This was the
beginning of the introduction to the chorus ‘Lift up your heads’.
The committee has received with great regret Rhonda
Gibbison’s notice that she will not be making herself available
for reelection as secretary at the next AGM. We are extremely
grateful to her for her years of service in this role. We hope that
members will give thought to whether this is a contribution they
could make to the running of the branch, and allow themselves
to be nominated.
The next edition of Notes will appear in March, and I would like
to be able to publicise Lenten and Easter services around our
region, especially those featuring music. I’d thus be very
grateful for relevant timetables from churches.
Deadline for material for the next issue: 29th February 2016.
Notes – November 2015 – Page 11
Chairwoman
Past
Chairwoman
Secretary
Treasurer
Editor NOTES
Chaplain
Mark Eyre
Sister Colleen
Morey
Vaughan
Chetwynd
Jeremy
Whimster
OFFICERS
Rachael Griffiths-Hughes,
70 Nixon St, Hamilton.
waikatochair@rscmnz.org.nz
Paula Spiers,
73/312 Victoria Street, Hamilton.
Rhonda Gibbison,
166B Tramway Road, Hamilton.
waikatosecretary@rscmnz.org.nz
Virginia Gallagher,
6 Cambrae Road, Raglan.
waikatotreasurer@rscmnz.org.nz
Ray Harlow
24 Marama St, Hamilton 3204
editorwaikatonotes@rscmnz.org.nz
Revd Peter Lord Cowell,
COMMITTEE
121 Taylor Street, Cambridge.
mark@toccatamusic.co.nz
37C Clyde Street, Hamilton East 3216
moreycolleen260@yahoo.co.nz
St Andrew’s Church,
PO Box 356, Cambridge.
REGIONAL CONTACTS
49 Rimu St, Tauranga.
856 6365
834 3403
855 7363
825 7443
839 3473
839 4683
827 7011 or
027 2838400
8566583
07 578 6056
RSCM (NZ) Website http://rscmnz.org.nz
RSCM (England) Website http://www.rscm.com
Notes – November 2015 – Page 12