Six Lay Clerks at last

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Chester Cathedral Choir are pleased to welcome David Hardwick (pictured third from the left) who joins us as Decani Tenor Lay Clerk this week.

David Hardwick began his musical career as a chorister at Worcester Cathedral. As a tenor he has held choral scholarships at Truro Cathedral, St Phillip’s Cathedral in Birmingham, and Gloucester Cathedral, and since 2008 he has been as a Lay Clerk at Gloucester.

David graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2009 with a 2:1 BMus(hons) degree, throughout which he maintained a keen interest in historical musicology, focussing especially on Tippett, Monteverdi and the Gloucestershire-based Poet and Composer Ivor Gurney. In addition to his academic studies, David studied singing at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Gordon Sandison and Andrew King. This culminated in a final recital at the Barber Institute of Fine Art where David performed music by Handel, Monteverdi and Gurney.

During his time at University David conducted the University Chamber Choir in two concerts, covering a broad repertoire of music. He also participated in several projects arranged by the University’s Centre for Early Music Performance and Research, including an eight voice performance of Handel’s ‘Dixit Dominus’ under the tutelage of the tenor Mark Tucker.

After his graduation, David moved to Gloucester to study for a PGCE in Secondary Music, which he completed in June 2010. As well as his commitments as a Lay Clerk, David sang with the Glevum Consort and was a member of The Songmen, a professional male voice a cappella group.

David is also developing as a soloist. In 2008 he completed his first professional Messiah with Stone Choral Society and has recently taken engagements from Newant Choral Society, Fairford Choral Society and the Cheltenham Bach choir.

David is very excited to be moving to Chester, where he hopes to establish himself as a music teacher while continuing his personal musical development as a member of Chester Cathedral Choir.

Chester layclerk wins photography competition

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Chester Alto, Francis Hills recently won the first prize of £200 in a photography competition organised by Rayburn Tours. Rayburn recently took the cathedral choir to France and Belgium in the October half term and held a competition for the best photos of groups or individuals enjoying their time on tour. The winning image is shown below of the iconic Eiffel Tower taken with an ultra-wide angle 10mm lens attached to a Nikon D90.