Choir of Leeds Parish Church
The Choir of Leeds Minster is the choir of Leeds Minster, Leeds, England, which became a Minster in September 2012. The choir was founded by vicar, Richard Fawcett probably as early as 1815, and was certainly in existence by 1818. The church's choir - boys and men - was, from its origins, a charge on the church rate; and, in what was then a largely non-conformist town, a none-too-popular one. By the 1830s, the choir's resourcing had been taken over by a list of voluntary subscribers. On arrival as Vicar of Leeds in 1837, Walter Farquhar Hook said he found "the surplices in rags and the books in tatters". Additional to its extensive commitment in the provision of choral services, the choir is known to a wide public through many recitals, recordings and broadcasts and by its regular choir tours - the first tour was held in July 1968 and the 40th anniversary tour, from 22 to 27 July 2008, included singing in Ely Cathedral, King's College, Cambridge, the National Musicians' Church St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in the City of London, All Saints Pastoral Centre London Colney and the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Daily choral services
Hook set to work to revitalise the parish and provide a church suitable for what he termed a "good" service; the choral provision was a part of this endeavour and, from the opening of the new church in 1841, choral worship has been maintained on weekdays as well as Sundays. Organists since 1842 include Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Dr Edward Bairstow and two musicians trained at Gloucester Cathedral by Dr Herbert Sumsion - Dr (Alfred) Melville Cook and Dr Donald Hunt OBE. The present organist and Master of the Music, Dr Simon Lindley, has served since 1975. Music written for the choir includes anthems by Samuel Sebastian Wesley - Cast me not away from Thy presence among them - and his visionary Service in E of 1848. Other repertoire from Edward Bairstow was composed specifically for the Leeds choir, including Let all mortal flesh keep silence, If the Lord had not helped me, Sing ye to the Lord and the large-scale Communion Service in D of 1913.Choral Foundation
Leeds has no choir school nor any large-scale endowments. An appeal for £500,000 was launched in 2002; by 2008, £406,000 had been raised, of which £22,000 has been sponsorship to cover specific expenditure and £28,000 has been paid in grants to the choral foundation. The administrative costs of the appeal from 2002 to 2008 are less than £2,000 leaving £352,000 invested towards the target of £500,000 endowment for the choir. The Church Urban Fund supported the work of Ashley Francis-Roy as the church's first choral outreach animateur during the academic year 2010/2011 and Helen Strange in this capacity for 2011/2012 with funding provided by the Hesco Bastion Foundation.Friends of the Music
The Friends of the Music of Leeds Minster has saved the choir from oblivion. On its formation the Friends was the first such support group established at an English parochial foundation; there have since been many successors. The support of many parishioners and headteachers of the parochial school, St Peter's Church of England Primary School in Burmantofts, has also been vital to the choir's survival.Choristers
There are three categories of adults singing in the choir: choral scholars and lay clerks and Sunday gentlemen, voluntary singers from all walks of life.The boys' choir is made up of boys from schools in Leeds and further afield. A number of boys have become eminent in musical, educational, ecclesiastical and artistic fields and LPCC alumni including Paul Trepte, Stephen Parham-Connolly of the King's Singers, Paul Dutton, a renowned tenor singer and acclaimed teacher of music - formerly at Leeds Grammar School, Gateways School, Harewood and, from September 2012, at Harrogate Grammar School, Andy Clarke, highly acclaimed lead guitarist of the Favorites in London in the 80s and Puce Wallpaper in Newcastle to the present day. Also the Very Reverend J Paul Kennington, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral (Montreal), Canada and Peter Simpson.
Girl choristers similarly attend schools in Leeds and further afield. The girl's choir founded in 1997 by Jonathan Lilley are directed by David Houlder. The girls attend most Saturday mornings during term time and sing a short choral service of morning worship at 11.45 am. Former choristers have achieved success in University Choral Scholarships, including Esther Chadwick and Sophie Wellings at Clare College, Cambridge.
Weekly choir schedule and anthologies used
The parish church uses the New English Hymnal and its 2006 supplement "New English Praise" 2006; the Worcester Psalter edited by Sir Ivor Atkins provides the pointing of the psalms. Other collections include Anthems for Unison and Two-Part Singing, Volumes and 2 RSCM, Anthems for Men's Voices, the Favourite Anthem Book Volume 5, Sing Low Novello edited by Dr Barry Rose, Advent for Choirs edited by Malcolm Archer & Stephen Cleobury, Lent, Passiontide and Easter for Choirs edited by Lionel Dakers and John Scott, Hilariter - a resource book for Eastertide edited by Simon Lindley, The University Carol Book - edited by Dr Erik Routley and Hymns for Choirs edited by Sir David Willcocks, and 100 Carols for Choirs edited by Sir David Willcocks and John Rutter.- Monday 5.30 pm Choral Evensong
- Wednesday 5.30 pm Choral Evensong
- Thursday 5.30 pm Choral Evensong
- Friday 7.00 pm Choral Evensong
- Saturday 11.45 am Morning Worship