A major investment in school singing by the Hamish Ogston Foundation is allowing Catholic Dioceses around the country to revive singing in schools and foster the next generation of church choristers: we look at how the Diocese of Middlesbrough has become part of this project.

Simon Mercer explains how to approach the rewarding activity of accompanying a choir, on both the piano and the organ. He discusses mental preparation, rehearsal skills and registration, using anthems by Wesley and Bainton as examples.

In this film, Robin Harrison outlines strategies to improve aural skills.  He discusses aspects of pulse, pitch, and phrasing, and suggests transposition and memorisation exercises to train the inner ear.

Pieter Shaw discovered a wonderful Schnitger organ in a local church in Bellingwolde, close to the Dutch/German border, and then was delighted to be offered the post of organist there. He tells StopPress about the instrument and the role of the organist in the Netherlands.

David Baker describes how music at Halifax Parish Church had been in decline until twenty-seven-year-old John Varley Roberts was appointed in late 1868, and transformed the choir at Halifax from a small, mixed group of voices up in the west gallery with an outmoded organ to a choral establishment of some seventy robed male singers in the chancel, accompanied by a four-manual instrument.

Retiring in 2009 to his home county of Yorkshire, David Baker became involved in the local organ scene, but found both organ playing and teaching in a sorry state. Determined to do something about this he founded the Halifax Organ Academy, which has big plans for the future as it celebrates its tenth anniversary.

Nicholas Madden and Paul Trepte perform Who alone is good for tenor solo and organ, a setting by Paul Trepte of the words of St Francis of Assisi, which won the 25 years and over category in the RCO’s Composition Competition in 2020.

In two recorded webinars, Frederick Stocken discusses the continuo realisation question in the Keyboard Skills Tests for FRCO. 

In this practical guide William Dore, Organist at Ampleforth Abbey, explains the characteristics and traditions of plainchant or plainsong.  He discusses notation, and how to create an accompaniment to plainchant, including ideas on rhythm, suitable harmonic progressions, and cadences in keeping with the modality and mood.