On Sunday November 21, the feast of Christ the King, the choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first participation in a service on that same feast day in 1960 in the Lutyens crypt. At that time the choir was directed by the cathedral’s first Master of the Music, Christopher Symons.
Fifty years later, on that same weekend, a three-day series of events will mark this milestone. On Friday November 19 a dinner will take place in the crypt for boy and girl choristers, their parents, the lay clerks, guests plus many former choristers who are returning to Liverpool for the
weekend.
Saturday November 20 at 7.30pm sees a concert in the cathedral by the boy and girl choristers, together with the gentlemen of the choir and reinforced by former choristers, and the Cathedral Brass Ensemble, directed by the present director of music, Timothy Noon, with Richard Lea at the organ.
Some exciting music is to be performed, including Parry’s famous coronation anthem “I was glad”, as well as William Walton’s Festival Te Deum and John Rutter’s thrilling Gloria. Other items include Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and the Hymn to St Cecilia, the patroness of church musicians.
This spectacular concert is one not to be missed and music lovers should book their tickets right away.
The Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff and the Lord Mayor of Liverpool are guests of the Cathedral Dean, Canon Anthony O’Brien. Archbishop Patrick Kelly, a regular concert-goer, will be present to support his own cathedral choir. All the choristers are pupils of the cathedral’s
two choir schools, with the junior choristers at St Edward’s School, Runnymede and the older choristers at St Edward’s College, both schools situated in west Derby.
Several former choristers have pursued professional careers in music.
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