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Introduction
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Christ Church has a long-standing musical tradition, and music continues to play a major role in the life of our church. We have
a very fine pipe organ which has just been fully renovated at a cost of over £187,000. Our choir
of men, women and children leads the singing
at the main Eucharist service on Sunday mornings, and sings an anthem or motet. There is also a service of Evensong
each month during the summer, with a choral setting of the Canticles, an Introit and an Anthem.
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Each year, there are a number of major services at which the choir performs a more extensive work or range of works. These include
Palm Sunday, All Saints' Day, and the annual Service of Lessons and Carols.
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Each year, the church also hosts a number of concerts, some of which we organise ourselves, while others
are arranged by visiting choirs or musical groups.
The
inaugural concert to celebrate the renovated organ was given by the internationally acclaimed organist, Carlo Curley.
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We are particularly fortunate that our music has been led by some very fine musicians over the years. Richard Coulson B Mus FRCO LRAM ARCM,
was Organist and Choirmaster from 1969 until 2006, and had a distinguished career as an organ soloist and composer, as well as in teaching and examining.
His
Natal Requiem, written in memory of an uncle who died when HMS Natal blew up in Cromarty in 1917, was given its
first performance in Christ Church
on Palm Sunday 2006 in the presence of representatives of the Royal Navy and of the families of the 421 victims of the disaster.
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His succesor as Director of Music (2007-2011) was Tom Bell BMus(Hons)/GradRNCM PGDip(Dist) a distinguished organ teacher and recitalist.
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Our current Director of Music is Stuart Whatton MA(Oxon) BMus FRCO PGCE LTCL FRSA.
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The Assistant Organist is Keith Howell-Jones LLM ARCO.
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