Music Outreach to Lancashire - 28/2/2010

The Diocesan Choral Festival, which took place on Saturday, 27th February, brought together singers of all ages from around Lancashire to take part in Choral Evensong at Blackburn Cathedral. The Cathedral's own musicians, including the boy and girl choristers as well as some of the Gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir, worked alongside choristers from Clayton Le Moors, Longton, Higham, Morecambe, Broughton, Briercliffe, Mellor, Preesall, Leyland, Darwen, Lancaster and Longridge to name just a few. All in all more than 130 singers took part.

The Choral Festival was held in collaboration with the Royal School of Church Music and included presentation to choristers of The Archdeacons’ Award for Loyalty, The Dean’s Award for Excellence and the Bishop of Blackburn’s Award for Excellence. The Venerable John Hawley, Archdeacon of Blackburn, congratulated forty seven recipients of the Archdeacons’ Award on their faithfulness, and prayed that many of them may so continue their faithfulness that they might even seek ordination in the Ministry.

The Dean, The Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong, who presented seventeen Awards as a result of successful examinations, said that George Herbert, whose day it was today, had been a shining example of faithfulness.

The Bishop of Lancaster, The Right Reverend Geoff Pearson added his thanks. He said that music feeds the souls not only of those who are singing, but also of those who are listening. On behalf of the Bishop of Blackburn, he then presented twelve Awards as a result of successful examinations followed by seven Awards for forty years of service.

The ceremony concluded with presentations by the Bishop for sixty years of service to Frank Ashton of St Mary’s Mellor and Gordon Bretheron of St Ambrose, Leyland.

Prior to the service all 130 singers had been rehearsing music, under the direction of the Cathedral Director of Music, Richard Tanner since 1030am. Much of the music was set to texts by George Herbert, including a setting of “Come my Way” by former Cathedral Organist, David Cooper, written for this service twenty five years earlier.