The first conference for church musicians and clergy took place at Great St Mary’s, Cambridge in June. The Major Churches Music Conference, organised in collaboration with the Major Churches Network, brought together 60 delegates from across the country, representing a great variety of institutions from within and outside the Network.
Topics for discussion ranged from recruitment and retention of choristers and adults, fundraising and grant-writing, to professional challenges, collegial support between institutions, and the creation of a formal group and regional areas, with a workshop on vocal health and technique. Contributions came from a panel of experienced practitioners, including Simon Toyne, David Fawcett, Tom Daggett, Hugh Morris, Helen Groves, Ruth Massey and Graham Robinson.
The keynote speaker for the day was choir trainer and organist Carl Jackson (formerly Director of Music at Croydon Minster and the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court). Mr Jackson spoke of the challenges facing choirs and music departments, including financial pressures and maintaining access to training, but reinforced that the musical ministry of churches matters: “Through our music, we aim to provide the context by which worship can happen, so that those who are present may have an encounter with the living God. It’s a terrific responsibility, and so worth taking on.”
The conference came out of a desire to share experiences and practices from musicians across the country. Director of Music at Great St Mary’s, Alexander Berry, said, “So many of the musicians are in the only church in that town or city which is doing serious choral music, and one of the lovely things was just the ability to share good practice. A lot of these musicians are very high-calibre people, well-trained and invested — not just as musicians or educationists, but as people of great faith, who really care about what they do.
Oliver Hancock, Director of Music, The Collegiate Church of St Mary
