A comment from Winchester: It's no comment

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norman lebrecht

May 07, 2024

In response to two current stories on Slipped Disc, the Head of Marketing and Communications has issued this statement:

A spokesperson for Winchester Cathedral, said: ‘Our Music Strategy was presented to key participants of the Choral Foundation back in January 2023 and was warmly received. It confirmed the full commitment of Winchester Cathedral to a thriving Foundation with, at its heart, the continuing musical excellence of our Cathedral Choirs, including our lay clerks, boys, and girls. Despite the financial pressures of the last two years, the Cathedral has heavily increased investment in music which we have no plans to cut, quite the reverse. What we are doing is spending even more on girls’ voices without reducing our commitment to the boys’ numbers or to our ambition to increase the number of lay clerks. We are increasing our outreach/access choirs with a view to strengthening the great choral tradition here. By expanding the number of choirs, we can offer participation to many more children who now benefit from the joy of singing in the cathedral. This too is excellence: we are proud that we reach more children who might not otherwise ever consider this was possible.

‘We enjoy a very good working relationship with The Pilgrims’ School and our boy choristers will continue to receive excellent education there. Our plans include increasing the bursaries to children of the parents who would otherwise be unable to afford the fees, so that more boys can enjoy the magnificent benefits and opportunities offered by the school.

‘The Choral Foundation is a highly valuable spiritual and cultural institution in its own right, and a key feature of worship at the Cathedral. With the additional opportunity that digital brings, the potential for the power of English Cathedral choral music at Winchester to inspire, teach and transform lives in Winchester and beyond is enormous. We will continue the tradition of far-sightedness of previous generations to adapt and grow the Choral Foundation to serve everyone in the future.

‘For the wellbeing and protection of all our clergy and staff, it is Cathedral policy not to comment on confidential HR matters.’

Comments

Robert Parsons says:

May 7, 2024 at 8:46 pm

I’ve seen the leaked document. It’s frankly embarrassing and I have serious concerns over the future of professional, formal music making at Winchester. It’s very much a case of dumbing everything down to make it “accessible” and “diverse” to everyone as what is there currently is elitist and exclusive and needs to go. The cathedral will deny it as much as they like, but there needs to be a serious investigation into this before it is too late.

matteob says:
May 26, 2024 at 9:07 pm
I think traditional cathedral music (particularly the boys choirs) is in dire jeopardy for this very reason. Come to that the whole C of E is in trouble.
Reply
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Herbie G says:

May 7, 2024 at 10:01 pm

Self praise is no praise. A huge dollop of damage limitation. The only bit missing is ‘Our choristers are our top priority’. The last paragraph alone would have sufficed – sometimes less is more.

One good thing though – it’s good to see that SD has some traction!

Lapsed Organist says:

May 7, 2024 at 10:10 pm

The usual non committal crap from the HR/CEO wing of all Cathedrals these days in order to protect themselves from the lies, deceit and most un Christian attitude from those claiming to be Christians.
Why would any intelligent person wish to set foot inside any place of worship when this toxicity pervades the majority of Cathedrals and churches led by dysfunctional people running them?

Jane R says:
May 8, 2024 at 10:54 am
Quite, Lapsed Organist. Yet another toxic cathedral environment. One despairs.
Reply

V.Lind says:

May 8, 2024 at 6:16 am

It does not comment on the departing Mr. Lumsden, which may or may not be by mutual agreement, but it essentially refutes the previous article’s assertion that it would be replacing the current choral set-up with outreach. The statement makes clear — and possibly clearer than the Power Point presentation — that outreach is an additional initiative, not an alternative on.

Katie says:

May 8, 2024 at 10:17 am

As well as RSCM (post to previous item), I wonder also what the Cathedral Music Trust, and Church Music Society have to say on the matter.

Lapsed Organist says:
May 8, 2024 at 10:01 pm
The RSCM are useless in this in that they are run for and by amateurs>
The Cathedral Music Trust are the ones to challenge the Cathedrals over their intent to destroy our church music heritage, but again they are now run by amateurs and wimpish musicians too fond of their own self importance and national standing to challenge and shout down these clergy bullies and vandals for fear of being told they are ‘woke’ and old fashioned.
Come on Cathedral Music Trust (aka Friends of cathedral music) and DO something before it’s too late!
Reply
- Moni says:
  May 10, 2024 at 6:24 pm
  When I visit a Cathedral (Winchester is our local one, we go to hear the voices of the choristers and the beautiful choral music. Especially on celebration days. We have had the privilege of experiencing the fabulous music, listening in the calm space to the boys and girls and to the Direction of the music arrangements. I certainly hope our traditions will not disappear? Whenever on our travels the joy of popping in a Cathedral and catching the organist practising in the huge forum that draws one in.
  Reply

GaryGargoyle says:

May 8, 2024 at 10:38 am

What is ‘dispersed leadership’ (to quote the PPT)?

Is this an indication that rather than a single Director of Music, Winchester will favour a network of peripatetic ‘horses for courses’ for different choirs and services?

Recusant says:

May 8, 2024 at 1:26 pm

The cathedral is now trying to back-pedal and say that all is well and all will be well. All is definitely not well. There are multiple strands to this whole sorry state of affairs. There exists is a culture of bullying by the current precentor, and with that obviously a broken whistleblowing procedure too. This man bullied and forced out an assistant organist in 2021, George Castle, and has subsequently bullied Andrew Lumsden since autumn 2023, finally wearing him down and forcing him out earlier this month and compelling him to sign a NDA (which is incidentally forbidden by the C of E). This all happened while the Dean, who should have had oversight, apparently stood by. This is absolutely appalling treatment of a man who has given 22 years to Winchester, a gentle and caring man and fine musician. Will there be any accountability?

matteob says:
May 26, 2024 at 9:09 pm
I don’t understand why Lumsden in particular took this nonsense and allowed himself to be bullied and harassed by this man. I would have thought after decades in the business he could stand up for himself.
Reply

Fred O’Bloggs says:

May 8, 2024 at 2:59 pm

What a complete whitewash and clearly no understanding at all of our choral decision. Todays article in the Daily Telegraph said it all.

Fred O’Bloggs says:

May 8, 2024 at 3:03 pm

For decision read tradition. Must have come via the press office at Winchester Cathedral

A comment from Winchester: It's no comment - Slippedisc (2024)

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