Director – Wayne Moore
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
Kingston College, the Chapel Choir
The Kingston College Chapel Choir, founded in 1947, has weathered the storms of time to achieve a milestone 60 years of service to the community of Kingston College and the Anglican Diocese.
The brainchild of the late P.W. Gibson, founder headmaster of Kingston College, the Chapel Choir has been served by no less than eight (8) directors, including the legendary Douglas Forrest, and has become an icon of excellence for Kingston College. The choir is comprised of sixteen trebles, eight altos, eight tenors and eight basses (there are nine past students in the senior sections).
Over the years, literally hundreds of young men have contributed to the excellent repute of the choir and have gone on to make significant impacts on the wider Jamaican community in areas of music, sport, academia, the performing arts and business. The choir has several audio and video recordings, television broadcasts, overseas tours and other achievements to its credit.
For the choristers of the Chapel Choir (both past and present), the choir is more than a choral experience, it is a life experience. This indeed fulfills Bishop Gibson’s vision.
This year the chapel choir will hold three major events:
A service of celebration for the 60th anniversary of the choir; to be held on June 24, at St. Augustine’s chapel. Former director of the choir and a current Director of the RSCM, Gordon Appleton, will be leading the choir at this service.
A visit by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir from Oxford, in October; with whom K.C. will join in a performance of memorable choral music.
A major concert in December, the best of the Kingston College Chapel Choir, with guest appearance from former Director, Rev. Dr. Barry Davies.
Past members of the choir who are interested in participating in the actual choral presentations at the June and December events can get in touch with the Choir Director, Wayne Moore at (wayandy12@yahoo.com). We can accommodate three altos, three tenors and three basses.
Christ Church Cathedral Choir
Director - Stephen Darlington
Founded: 1526 - Oxford, England
Christ Church Cathedral Choir
Although Christ Church Cathedral Choir (= CCCC) is 500 years old, it is justly famous for the youthfulness of its sound and its daring and adventurous musical programming. Unique in the world as both Cathedral and College choir, the intimate acoustic of its musical home, Oxford's 12th-century Cathedral, has given it a relationship with early sacred music and the rhythm and vigour of contemporary idioms which is second to none.
Throughout its history, the Choir has attracted many distinguished composers and organists -from its first director, John Taverner, appointed by Cardinal Wolsey in 1526, to William Walton. In recent years, the Choir has commissioned and recorded works by contemporary composers such as John Tavener, William Mathias and Howard Goodall. Their collaboration with Goodall has also led to the choir singing his TV themes for Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley.
There are 12 men and 16 boys in the Choir along with 2 organists. The boys are selected for their musical ability and attend Christ Church Cathedral School. Of the men, six are professionals, and six are undergraduates. The Cathedral is renowned for training many of the country's leading organists.
As well as their daily services in the Cathedral, the Choir's reputation inevitably leads to a busy annual programme of concerts and overseas tours. The Choir has many award-winning recordings to its credit and works with several international orchestras and soloists.
The Choir broadcasts regularly and was recently the subject of a Channel 4 televsion documentary in which it was hailed as "one of the finest choirs on Earth". The film was nominated at the prestigious Montreux TV Festval in the Arts Programme category - and has since been seen throughout the world. Whether Cardinal Wolsey would have envisaged so illustrious a future for his new foundation back in the 16th century is another matter!
