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Church in Wales
Eglwys Yng
Nghymru |
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Music at Llandaff Cathedral Music Staff Organist and Master of the Choristers Assistant Organist Second
Assistant Organist & Director of the
Parish Choir The Cathedral Choir and School Cathedral schools were established to educate the boys who sang treble in their choirs. There are still almost 40 schools, of which some are preparatory schools, and some are senior independent schools. The Cathedral School, Llandaff is the only surviving Anglican choir school in Wales. Records are incomplete but we do know that a school of some kind has existed in Llandaff since the 9th Century and it carried on through the Middle Ages. In Henry VIII's reign, a great deal of Church property was disposed of and in 1553 the Manor of Llandaff was sold. This included Bryn-y-Gynnen which was the Bishops Manor House and was situated close to the Cathedral. During the reign of Elizabeth I the people of Glamorgan agreed to fund a teacher at £12 per annum. The School survived an impoverished time during 1691, when it was called the Free School, and was housed in the Chapter House. Between 1794 and 1751, the present school, designed by John Wood of Bath, was built on the site of Bryn-y-Gynnen. It was known originally as Llandaff Court and was owned by Admiral Thomas Matthew. Admiral Matthew heartily disliked the building, comparing it to a "3 Decker" meaning a ship! In 1840 the office of Dean was revived and the Cathedral was restored by John Pritchard. The present School Chapel was designed by lwan Christian in 1861. An article in the Guardian in 1871, which carried an account of the start of a boarding school for choristers in Salisbury, gave the Reverend Fishbourne the idea for a similar establishment in Llandaff for some 20 boys - all potential choristers. The School was housed in a small house near Llandaff Bridge. Soon after, the Chapter cut down Fishbourne's original scheme - much to his great disappointment. In 1879, when Dr. Vaughan became the Dean, he began plans for a school (sadly now demolished) for around 50 boys at The Cathedral Green in Llandaff village and this was opened in 1880 . Dean Vaughan had been the Headmaster at Harrow School and was a great scholar; the school was opened in the village in 1880 and remained on that site until 1957. Dean Vaughan died in 1897 leaving the School with firm foundations. A German landmine severely damaged the Nave of the Cathedral in 1941 and, when restoration work was completed in 1955, the old School building being found to be "unsuitable" caused it to move to the present premises, which had until then been used as the Bishop's Palace. The School then became a member of the Nathaniel Woodard Corporation. In 1958 there were 190 boys in 9 forms. Today there are 380 pupils in 21 forms, including a Nursery. Girls were admitted to the School in 1978 and there are now a considerable number studying here. A thriving group of Girl Choristers now sing Evensong in the Cathedral each Monday, as well as singing at charitable events and concerts. The Choir consists of choristers, lay clerks and choral scholars. The boys (and girls) are selected at Voice Trials and awarded scholarships at the Cathedral School covering a large proportion of the fees. The modern choir has a large repertoire of music from the sixteenth century to the present day and sings six fully choral services every week of term. The Cathedral Organist is always pleased to see boys who would like to audition for choristerships and their parents are warmly invited to contact the school or the Cathedral for further details of this very demanding but rewarding life. Boys who are accepted as choristers are educated at the Cathedral School and receive a substantial fee remission. Many of the choristers go on to their next schools with music scholarships or bursaries. C.D.s and cassettes of the choir are on sale at the Cathedral shop. The Cathedral Parish Choir consists of boys, girls, men and women. The full choir sings at the 9.00 a.m. Parish Eucharist every Sunday and on Feast Days during the year. The adults also sing at Compline in the Lady Chapel each Sunday evening at 6.30p.m. Rehearsals are held every Monday evening
as follows:- The Choir takes a break just after
Christmas and Easter and during school summer holidays. or hand it to any member of the Clergy or Church Wardens.
___________________________________________________________ The Llandaff Cathedral Choral Society
Conductor ( (029) 2021 2129 (e-mail)
The Choral Society was founded in 1938 as a Special Choir to supplement the Cathedral Choir in the performance of large-scale works on special occasions but the Society now has a more individual status and is one of the longest-established choirs in Wales.
The Society constantly looks to its future and keen prospective singers are invited to contact the
Secretary or the Conductor for more information. Rehearsals are on Monday evenings between 7:30 and 9:30 during term-time at the Llandaff City
Church-in-Wales Primary School.
For detailed information on the Society and its activities, please visit the Llandaff Cathedral Choral Society website. |
Cathedral Choir
Llandaff Cathedral Detailed Monthly
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