Press Releases June 2004

CATHEDRAL CHOIR IN CONCERT

The boys and men of St Albans Cathedral Choir present a concert of sacred and secular music on Friday 9th July 2004 at 8 pm in St Albans Cathedral, in aid of the Choir's Tour Fund. Master of the Music Andrew Lucas directs, and Simon Johnson, Assistant Master of the Music, accompanies and performs solo pieces on the organ.

Cathedral Choir singing in the church of Santa Maria in Montesanto, Rome on 4th June. Photographer C Welch.

Just returned from a 4-day tour to Rome at the beginning of June, where the Cathedral Choir led an education workshop, performed a concert in the beautiful baroque church of Santa Maria in Montesanto and led the Sunday morning worship at St George's, the Anglican Chaplaincy in Rome, the Choir is looking forward to touring on a grander international scale. Planning and securing the finances for such a tour can take up to two years and this fund-raising concert starts the process.

The concert is an example of the kind of musical treat international audiences will be able to enjoy. It covers music from the earliest chants - which would be familiar to the Benedictine monks who founded this ancient Abbey - to contemporary composers of this century, with a range of musical styles and works from Europe and beyond. The concert will demonstrate the enormous and varied repertoire that the Cathedral Choir sings in Cathedral services throughout the year - a snapshot of the rich choral tradition for which Britain is renowned world-wide. It is a rare and welcome opportunity to hear this music in a concert setting, whilst enjoying the magnificent architectural space and acoustic of the Abbey.

"Going on tour is an important part of the activity of the Cathedral Choir", said Andrew Lucas. "As well as bringing our excellent musicianship to a wider audience, it's a valuable and stimulating musical and educational experience for the individual chorister and makes a great contribution to the morale and team spirit of the Choir as a whole."

Since becoming Master of the Music in 1998, Andrew Lucas has toured with the Cathedral Choir to Sweden, the Haarlem International Organ Festival, Netherlands, Thomas à Becket Festival in Angers Cathedral, France and most recently Rome. He was accompanist for the Abbey Girls Choir of the Eastern United States in October 2003. The Cathedral Choir was due to tour the USA in October 2001 but the uncertain situation following the 9/11 tragedy caused the tour to be cancelled.

The concert is promoted by St Albans Cathedral Music Trust and tickets priced £15 (half price for children under 16) are on sale at the Cathedral Information Desk, open Monday to Saturday 10.30 am - 4.30 pm. Telephone 01727 860780. Seating is unreserved and the doors open at 7.15 pm.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information on the concert and photographs of the performers, please contact:

Moira Dean, St Albans Cathedral Music Trust, Tel 01727 890228 or 845229, Fax 01727 890227

Email music-trust@stalbanscathedral.org.uk

St Albans Cathedral Music Trust was established to raise an endowment fund to secure the musical heritage at St Albans and develop new initiatives. It works in partnership with the Cathedral Campaign to raise the £3.1m needed to achieve this, part of the £6.4 million target needed also to raise funds to continue the excellent work of the Cathedral's Education Centre and to conserve the ancient fabric of the Abbey.

27th June 2004